Graduation Year

2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Ph.D.

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Degree Granting Department

Psychology

Major Professor

Marina Bornovalova, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Peter Clayson, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Fallon Goodman, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Brent Small, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Stephen Stark, Ph.D.

Keywords

formal modeling, borderline personality disorder, development, psychopathology

Abstract

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a complex disorder characterized by instabilities in emotion regulation, impulse control, and interpersonal relationships. BPD affects adolescent and adult populations at similar rates, with traits often detectable in late childhood or early adolescence. Despite some progress in the understanding of BPD and its development, contemporary theories have yet to address several important questions in the literature. The present study suggests that many limitations associated with current theoretical models of BPD may be attributable to an overdependence on verbally specified, or weak theories. In most cases, weak theories are constructed using vague or imprecisely defined hypotheses that are difficult to properly evaluate or improve. This dissertation argues that advancing the understanding of BPD and its development may benefit from using more rigorous methodologies for theory development, including formal modeling approaches. To illustrate the potential utility of formal modeling in BPD research, the current study adopts principles from the intelligence literature to develop a formalized theory of BPD using the steps provided in the Theory Construction Methodology (TCM) by Borsboom and colleagues (2021). More specifically, principles from dynamic mutualism theory were adapted to create a formalized model of BPD and its development using the TCM, a step-by-step framework that can be used to construct formal models in psychology. Although formal modeling is not expected to solve the numerous theoretical challenges associated with BPD, it provides a foundation for systematically formalizing theoretical models of BPD. Additionally, such an approach may lead to important insights and advancements in the understanding and treatment of BPD.

Download

Share

COinS