Date

2-13-2026

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)

Chair

Diane Pearce

Keywords

borderline personality disorder ethnicity, borderline personality disorder gender, borderline personality disorder comorbid conditions, borderline personality disorder spiritual impact, bpd and religion, borderline personality disorder etiology

Disciplines

Psychology

Abstract

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a dynamic condition that significantly varies between afflicted individuals, with a diverse variety of contributing factors in terms of symptom manifestation. Better comprehending BPD is essential in generalizing the contributing, etiological factors of the condition to broad demographics. Unfortunately, the existing research has failed to accomplish this goal, usually only studying how the condition and its symptoms manifest in Caucasian females. This study focused on closing this gap by discovering links between broader demographics within the context of etiology, comorbidities, and spiritual affiliation. This quantitative study involved collecting etiology, symptom, comorbidity, and spirituality data from 182 participants with BPD from five ethnicities (Caucasian, Black or African American, Hispanic, Asian or Indian, and Native American) and both genders (male and female). Equal samples of participants across the indicated demographics provided enough data to analyze with a chi-square test. The uncovered patterns present between these variables better explain how BPD affects various cultures and communities The correlations identified in this study included relationships between ethnicity and etiological risk factors, between gender and comorbid conditions, and between spiritual involvement and BPD symptom severity. These findings offer vital data for understanding which symptoms most strongly influence the condition and overall awareness. Furthermore, the research provides derivative studies with a foundation for generating clearer direction for improving BPD treatment programs.

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