The relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and borderline personality
disorder (BPD) is undeniable, at least from the perspectives of traditional categorical models.
In the transition to a hybrid dimensional diagnosis present in DSM-5 AMPD and ICD-11, this
relationship needs more research. The general objective was to test and refine a comprehensive
psychosocial model of BPD proposed by Leichsenring et al. (2011) based on the relationship
between ACE (CTQ-SF), criterion A (levels of personality functioning; LPFS-SR 2.0), and B
(personality traits; HEXACO; PID-5; PID-5BF +M) from the dimensional model, and the BPD
symptom components (ZAN-BPD and ZAN-BPD: SRV). We conducted two different studies,
one with secondary data collected in Germany with n=741 individuals from a clinical sample
and a healthy control group, and the second one involved a parallel data collection in Chile and
Germany n= 1313 with a clinical sample with a lifetime PD diagnosis, and a community-based
sample. For the second study we validated three different scales of for assessing BPD. We used
path analytics methods for analyzing the relationship between ACE and BPD symptom
components data with three different mechanisms: FFM, maladaptive traits, and levels of
personality functioning. Emotional trauma (abuse and neglect) was the subtype that most
strongly predicted BPD. We found clear pathways from ACE towards specific BPD symptom
components, being affective and relational components the most strongly predicted. Moreover,
our three models worked as mechanisms in this relationship, especially low extraversion, high
negative affect, high psychoticism, as well as the self-dysfunctions. Identifying mechanisms
such as these mechanisms during childhood or early adolescence, particularly after ACE, might
help us to better identify risk factors and timely provide specific personalized interventions for
promoting healthier psychosocial pathways towards adulthood. These results are exploratory
and need further studies for translation into clinical practice.Versión original del auto
