Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a chronic condition that warrants further empirical investigation. Considering the potentially lethal consequences and therapeutic challenges associated with features of BPD, it is important for researchers to explore pathways that will advance theory, assessment, and interventions that target BPD symptoms. One interactive theory that may predict variation in BPD symptoms is the cognitive-vulnerability model. Examining the cognitive vulnerability model in the context of BPD symptoms is the overall goal of the dissertation project. Specifically, the current study examined the mediator effects of maladaptive schemas on the adverse event-BPD symptom relationship. Four hundred and fifteen undergraduate students completed demographic information and three surveys online. Results indicated that both disconnection/rejection schemas and impaired limits schemas partially mediated the relationship between negative life events and borderline personality features. Further, contrast effects revealed that disconnection/rejection schemas were the better suited mediator for the model. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
","abstract_html":"<p>Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a chronic condition that warrants further empirical investigation. Considering the potentially lethal consequences and therapeutic challenges associated with features of BPD, it is important for researchers to explore pathways that will advance theory, assessment, and interventions that target BPD symptoms. One interactive theory that may predict variation in BPD symptoms is the cognitive-vulnerability model. Examining the cognitive vulnerability model in the context of BPD symptoms is the overall goal of the dissertation project. Specifically, the current study examined the mediator effects of maladaptive schemas on the adverse event-BPD symptom relationship. Four hundred and fifteen undergraduate students completed demographic information and three surveys online. Results indicated that both disconnection/rejection schemas and impaired limits schemas partially mediated the relationship between negative life events and borderline personality features. Further, contrast effects revealed that disconnection/rejection schemas were the better suited mediator for the model. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Seal, Danielle E."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.)","degree_level":"Dissertation (open access)","degree_discipline":"Department of Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Thresa Yancey","Nick Holtzman"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2016,"date_issued":"2016-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2016-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:28:22Z","subjects":["ETD","Borderline Personality","Adverse Life Events","Schemas","Emerging Adulthood","Clinical Psychology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/1289","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Thresa Yancey","Nick Holtzman"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Seal, Danielle E."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2015-05-31T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Department of Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation (open access)"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["ETD","Borderline Personality","Adverse Life Events","Schemas","Emerging Adulthood","Clinical Psychology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/1289"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a chronic condition that warrants further empirical investigation. Considering the potentially lethal consequences and therapeutic challenges associated with features of BPD, it is important for researchers to explore pathways that will advance theory, assessment, and interventions that target BPD symptoms. One interactive theory that may predict variation in BPD symptoms is the cognitive-vulnerability model. Examining the cognitive vulnerability model in the context of BPD symptoms is the overall goal of the dissertation project. Specifically, the current study examined the mediator effects of maladaptive schemas on the adverse event-BPD symptom relationship. Four hundred and fifteen undergraduate students completed demographic information and three surveys online. Results indicated that both disconnection/rejection schemas and impaired limits schemas partially mediated the relationship between negative life events and borderline personality features. Further, contrast effects revealed that disconnection/rejection schemas were the better suited mediator for the model. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Examining Cognitive Vulnerability Models to Borderline Personality Features in a Sample of Emerging Adults"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Thresa Yancey","Nick Holtzman"],"dc:creator":["Seal, Danielle E."],"dc:date.available":["2015-05-31T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a chronic condition that warrants further empirical investigation. Considering the potentially lethal consequences and therapeutic challenges associated with features of BPD, it is important for researchers to explore pathways that will advance theory, assessment, and interventions that target BPD symptoms. One interactive theory that may predict variation in BPD symptoms is the cognitive-vulnerability model. Examining the cognitive vulnerability model in the context of BPD symptoms is the overall goal of the dissertation project. Specifically, the current study examined the mediator effects of maladaptive schemas on the adverse event-BPD symptom relationship. Four hundred and fifteen undergraduate students completed demographic information and three surveys online. Results indicated that both disconnection/rejection schemas and impaired limits schemas partially mediated the relationship between negative life events and borderline personality features. Further, contrast effects revealed that disconnection/rejection schemas were the better suited mediator for the model. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/1289"],"dc:subject":["ETD","Borderline Personality","Adverse Life Events","Schemas","Emerging Adulthood","Clinical Psychology"],"dc:title":["Examining Cognitive Vulnerability Models to Borderline Personality Features in a Sample of Emerging Adults"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Department of Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation (open access)"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:28:22Z"}