Perceived parental protection and cortisol responses among young females with borderline personality disorder and controls

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) has been associated with deviations in cortisol in response to interpersonal stressors. Identifying mechanisms contributing to such deviations may help to address emotional dysregulation and the increased risk of self-destructive behavior. While dysfunctional relationships to caregivers have been widely reported among individuals with BPD, their contribution to cortisol hyperresponsiveness has yet to be investigated. Fifty-one females (aged 18–24 years) participated to assess the impact of BPD and the quality of protective care in mother-daughter relationships on stress responsiveness. Seventeen females with BPD and twenty females without BPD participated with their mothers in a videotaped parent-young adult conflict discussion. Fourteen non-BPD females without their mothers were assessed for cortisol levels without stress exposure. Salivary cortisol samples were collected at lab entry and 20 and 40 min after the onset of the discussion. Results revealed a higher overall cortisol response in the BPD group upon lab entry. BPD participants reported less experienced protection in the mother-daughter relationship which was associated with higher cortisol levels on lab entry and higher distress at study end. Results point to the perceived quality of parental protection as likely to modulate the activity of the stress response system among BPD patients.