(PS10-C69) Differences in BPD Features Between Black Americans and White Americans

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by emotion dysregulation, difficulties in interpersonal relationships, identity disturbance, and self-injurious behaviors (Lieb et al., 2004). Previous research has suggested that racial differences may exist in the presentation of BPD. For example, Haliczer et al. (2020) concluded that race was a significant moderator in relationships between emotion regulation difficulties and BPD features. Similarly, Newhill et al. (2009) found that among a sample of patients with BPD, Black participants experienced greater emotion dysregulation and exhibited fewer self-harming behaviors than White participants.
The literature also suggests that racial stressors can be an important factor in the development of psychopathology symptoms. Experiencing racism is related to depressive and anxious symptoms in Black women (Donovan et al., 2012). Additionally, racial stress and trauma are associated with elevated rates of PTSD within Black Americans (Williams et al., 2018). In the current study, we investigated racial differences in BPD features and the relationship between race related stress and BPD features in Black Americans.
Data were collected from a university sample (N = 159, 77.21% White, 22.79% Black). All participants self-reported demographic characteristics and BPD features (Personality Assessment Inventory-Borderline Scale, Morey, 1991; PAI-BOR). Black participants also completed the Index of Race Related Stress (Utsey, 1996; IRRS), a measure of Black Americans’ subjective ratings of race related stress and experiences of racial discrimination. Compared to White participants (M = 49.60, SD = 12.40), Black participants reported higher PAI-BOR total scale scores (M = 55.47, SD = 12.74; t(156) = 5.44, p = .014). Racial differences emerged within PAI-BOR subscales as well. Black participants reported significantly higher PAI-BOR mood instability (M = 9.28, SD = 3.30) and negative relationship (M = 9.42, SD = 2.61) subscale scores than White participants (M = 8.05, SD = 2.64; t(156) = -2.31, p < .022; M = 8.04, SD = 2.54; t(156) = -2.83, p = .005, respectively). Finally, to determine the relationship between race related stress and BPD features, we conducted a linear regression analysis. Results revealed that for Black participants, race related stress (b = .37) significantly accounted for 13.5% of the variance in PAI-BOR total scale scores (F(1, 34) = 5.29, p = .028).
These results may indicate that Black Americans experience more BPD features compared to White Americans. Alternatively, the PAI-BOR may not measure BPD features equally across race. These analyses also provide support for previous findings that race-related stress may be a contributing factor to psychopathology features. Future research should investigate other potential predictors of psychopathology within Black American samples.