Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7fkt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T12:52:03.488Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A longitudinal twin study of borderline and antisocial personality disorder traits in early to middle adulthood

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 June 2015

T. Reichborn-Kjennerud ,
N. Czajkowski ,
E. Ystrøm ,
R. Ørstavik ,
S. H. Aggen ,
K. Tambs ,
S. Torgersen ,
M. C. Neale ,
E. Røysamb  and
R. F. Krueger
...Show all authors
T. Reichborn-Kjennerud*
Affiliation:
Division of Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
N. Czajkowski
Affiliation:
Division of Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
E. Ystrøm
Affiliation:
Division of Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
R. Ørstavik
Affiliation:
Division of Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
S. H. Aggen
Affiliation:
Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Richmond, VA, USA Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
K. Tambs
Affiliation:
Division of Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
S. Torgersen
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
M. C. Neale
Affiliation:
Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Richmond, VA, USA Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
E. Røysamb
Affiliation:
Division of Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
R. F. Krueger
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
G. P. Knudsen
Affiliation:
Division of Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
K. S. Kendler
Affiliation:
Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Richmond, VA, USA Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
*
*Address for correspondence: T. Reichborn-Kjennerud, M.D., Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, N-0403 Oslo, Norway. (Email: [email protected])
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background.

Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD) share genetic and environmental risk factors. Little is known about the temporal stability of these etiological factors in adulthood.

Method.

DSM-IV criteria for ASPD and BPD were assessed using structured interviews in 2282 Norwegian twins in early adulthood and again approximately 10 years later. Longitudinal biometric models were used to analyze the number of endorsed criteria.

Results.

The mean criterion count for ASPD and BPD decreased 40% and 28%, respectively, from early to middle adulthood. Rank-order stability was 0.58 for ASPD and 0.45 for BPD. The best-fitting longitudinal twin model included only genetic and individual-specific environmental factors. Genetic effects, both those shared by ASPD and BPD, and those specific to each disorder remained completely stable. The unique environmental effects, however, changed substantially, with a correlation across time of 0.19 for the shared effects, and 0.39 and 0.15, respectively, for those specific to ASPD and BPD. Genetic effects accounted for 71% and 72% of the stability over time for ASPD and BPD, respectively. The genetic and environmental correlations between ASPD and BPD were 0.73, and 0.43, respectively, at both time points.

Conclusion.

ASPD and BPD traits were moderately stable from early to middle adulthood, mostly due to genetic risk factors which did not change over the 10-year assessment period. Environmental risk factors were mostly transient, and appear to be the main source of phenotypic change. Genetic liability factors were, to a large extent, shared by ASPD and BPD.

Keywords

Antisocial personality disorderborderline personality disordergeneticslongitudinal studies
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 45 , Issue 14 , October 2015 , pp. 3121 - 3131
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Afifi, TO, Mather, A, Boman, J, Fleisher, W, Enns, MW, Macmillan, H, Sareen, J (2011). Childhood adversity and personality disorders: results from a nationally representative population-based study. Journal of Psychiatric Research 45, 814–822.Google Scholar
Akaike, H (1987). Factor-analysis and AIC. Psychometrika 52, 317–332.Google Scholar
Ball, JS, Links, PS (2009). Borderline personality disorder and childhood trauma: evidence for a causal relationship. Current Psychiatry Reports 11, 63–68.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Beauchaine, TP, Klein, DN, Crowell, SE, Derbidge, C, Gatzke-Kopp, L (2009). Multifinality in the development of personality disorders: a biology x sex x environment interaction model of antisocial and borderline traits. Development and Psychopathology 21, 735–770.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Becker, DF, Grilo, CM, Edell, WS, McGlashan, TH (2000). Comorbidity of borderline personality disorder with other personality disorders in hospitalized adolescents and adults. American Journal of Psychiatry 157, 2011–2016.Google Scholar
Bornovalova, MA, Hicks, BM, Iacono, WG, McGue, M (2009). Stability, change, and heritability of borderline personality disorder traits from adolescence to adulthood: a longitudinal twin study. Development and Psychopathology 21, 1335–1353.Google Scholar
Bornovalova, MA, Hicks, BM, Iacono, WG, McGue, M (2013 a). Longitudinal twin study of borderline personality disorder traits and substance use in adolescence: developmental change, reciprocal effects, and genetic and environmental influences. Personality Disorders 4, 23–32.Google Scholar
Bornovalova, MA, Huibregtse, BM, Hicks, BM, Keyes, M, McGue, M, Iacono, W (2013 b). Tests of a direct effect of childhood abuse on adult borderline personality disorder traits: a longitudinal discordant twin design. Journal of Abnormal Psychology 122, 180–194.Google Scholar
Burt, SA, McGue, M, Carter, LA, Iacono, WG (2007). The different origins of stability and change in antisocial personality disorder symptoms. Psychological Medicine 37, 27–38.Google Scholar
Cohen, P (2008). Child development and personality disorder. Psychiatric Clinics of North America 31, 477–493, vii.Google Scholar
Distel, MA, Middeldorp, CM, Trull, TJ, Derom, CA, Willemsen, G, Boomsma, DI (2011). Life events and borderline personality features: the influence of gene-environment interaction and gene-environment correlation. Psychological Medicine 41, 849–860.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Distel, MA, Rebollo-Mesa, I, Willemsen, G, Derom, CA, Trull, TJ, Martin, NG, Boomsma, DI (2009). Familial resemblance of borderline personality disorder features: genetic or cultural transmission? PLoS ONE 4, e5334.Google Scholar
Distel, MA, Trull, TJ, de Moor, MM, Vink, JM, Geels, LM, van Beek, JH, Bartels, M, Willemsen, G, Thiery, E, Derom, CA, Neale, MC, Boomsma, DI (2012). Borderline personality traits and substance use: genetic factors underlie the association with smoking and ever use of cannabis, but not with high alcohol consumption. Journal of Personality Disorders 26, 867–879.Google Scholar
Distel, MA, Trull, TJ, Derom, CA, Thiery, EW, Grimmer, MA, Martin, NG, Willemsen, G, Boomsma, DI (2008). Heritability of borderline personality disorder features is similar across three countries. Psychological Medicine 38, 1219–1229.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Distel, MA, Willemsen, G, Ligthart, L, Derom, CA, Martin, NG, Neale, MC, Trull, TJ, Boomsma, DI (2010). Genetic covariance structure of the four main features of borderline personality disorder. Journal of Personality Disorders 24, 427–444.Google Scholar
Eaton, NR, Krueger, RF, Keyes, KM, Skodol, AE, Markon, KE, Grant, BF, Hasin, DS (2011). Borderline personality disorder co-morbidity: relationship to the internalizing-externalizing structure of common mental disorders. Psychological Medicine 41, 1041–1050.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ehlert, U (2013). Enduring psychobiological effects of childhood adversity. Psychoneuroendocrinology 38, 1850–1857.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harris, JR, Magnus, P, Tambs, K (2006). The Norwegian Institute of Public Health twin program of research: an update. Twin Research and Human Genetics 9, 858–864.Google Scholar
Hicks, BM, Krueger, RF, Iacono, WG, McGue, M, Patrick, CJ (2004). Family transmission and heritability of externalizing disorders: a twin-family study. Archives of General Psychiatry 61, 922–928.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hopwood, CJ, Morey, LC, Donnellan, MB, Samuel, DB, Grilo, CM, McGlashan, TH, Shea, MT, Zanarini, MC, Gunderson, JG, Skodol, AE (2013). Ten-year rank-order stability of personality traits and disorders in a clinical sample. Journal of Personality 81, 335–344.Google Scholar
Hudson, JI, Zanarini, MC, Mitchell, KS, Choi-Kain, LW, Gunderson, JG (2014). The contribution of familial internalizing and externalizing liability factors to borderline personality disorder. Psychological Medicine 44, 1–11.Google Scholar
Jacobson, KC, Prescott, CA, Kendler, KS (2002). Sex differences in the genetic and environmental influences on the development of antisocial behavior. Development and Psychopathology 14, 395–416.Google Scholar
Johnson, JG, Cohen, P, Brown, J, Smailes, EM, Bernstein, DP (1999). Childhood maltreatment increases risk for personality disorders during early adulthood. Archives of General Psychiatry 56, 600–606.Google Scholar
Johnson, JG, Cohen, P, Kasen, S, Skodol, AE, Hamagami, F, Brook, JS (2000). Age-related change in personality disorder trait levels between early adolescence and adulthood: a community-based longitudinal investigation. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 102, 265–275.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Johnson, W, McGue, M, Krueger, RF (2005). Personality stability in late adulthood: a behavioral genetic analysis. Journal of Personality 73, 523–552.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kandler, C, Bleidorn, W, Riemann, R, Spinath, FM, Thiel, W, Angleitner, A (2010). Sources of cumulative continuity in personality: a longitudinal multiple-rater twin study. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 98, 995–1008.Google Scholar
Kendler, KS, Aggen, SH, Czajkowski, N, Roysamb, E, Tambs, K, Torgersen, S, Neale, MC, Reichborn-Kjennerud, T (2008). The structure of genetic and environmental risk factors for DSM-IV personality disorders: a multivariate twin study. Archives of General Psychiatry 65, 1438–1446.Google Scholar
Kendler, KS, Aggen, SH, Knudsen, GP, Roysamb, E, Neale, MC, Reichborn-Kjennerud, T (2011 a). The structure of genetic and environmental risk factors for syndromal and subsyndromal common DSM-IV axis I and all axis II disorders. American Journal of Psychiatry 168, 29–39.Google Scholar
Kendler, KS, Myers, J, Reichborn-Kjennerud, T (2011 b). Borderline personality disorder traits and their relationship with dimensions of normative personality: a web-based cohort and twin study. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 123, 349–359.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kendler, KS, Prescott, CA, Myers, J, Neale, MC (2003). The structure of genetic and environmental risk factors for common psychiatric and substance use disorders in men and women. Archives of General Psychiatry 60, 929–937.Google Scholar
Krueger, RF, Hicks, BM, Patrick, CJ, Carlson, SR, Iacono, WG, McGue, M (2002). Etiologic connections among substance dependence, antisocial behavior, and personality: modeling the externalizing spectrum. Journal of Abnormal Psychology 111, 411–424.Google Scholar
Krueger, RF, Markon, KE, Patrick, CJ, Benning, SD, Kramer, MD (2007). Linking antisocial behavior, substance use, and personality: an integrative quantitative model of the adult externalizing spectrum. Journal of Abnormal Psychology 116, 645–666.Google Scholar
Lenzenweger, MF (1999). Stability and change in personality disorder features: the Longitudinal Study of Personality Disorders. Archives of General Psychiatry 56, 1009–1015.Google Scholar
Lyons, MJ, True, WR, Eisen, SA, Goldberg, J, Meyer, JM, Faraone, SV, Eaves, LJ, Tsuang, MT (1995). Differential heritability of adult and juvenile antisocial traits. Archives of General Psychiatry 52, 906–915.Google Scholar
McGowan, A, King, H, Frankenburg, FR, Fitzmaurice, G, Zanarini, MC (2012). The course of adult experiences of abuse in patients with borderline personality disorder and Axis II comparison subjects: a 10-year follow-up study. Journal of Personality Disorders 26, 192–202.Google Scholar
McGue, M, Bacon, S, Lykken, DT (1993). Personality stability and change in early adulthood: a behavioral genetic analysis. Developmental Psychology 29, 96–109.Google Scholar
Morey, LC, Hopwood, CJ (2013). Stability and change in personality disorders. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology 9, 499–528.Google Scholar
Neale, MC, Boker, SM, Xie, G, Maes, HH (2003). Mx: Statistical Modeling, 6th edn. Box 980126, Richmond VA 23298, Dept. of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical School.Google Scholar
Neale, MC, Eaves, LJ, Kendler, KS (1994). The power of the classical twin study to resolve variation in threshold traits. Behavior Genetics 24, 239–258.Google Scholar
Nestadt, G, Di, C, Samuels, JF, Bienvenu, OJ, Reti, IM, Costa, P, Eaton, WW, Bandeen-Roche, K (2010). The stability of DSM personality disorders over twelve to eighteen years. Journal of Psychiatric Research 44, 1–7.Google Scholar
Paris, J, Chenard-Poirier, MP, Biskin, R (2013). Antisocial and borderline personality disorders revisited. Comprehensive Psychiatry 54, 321–325.Google Scholar
Pfohl, B, Blum, N, Zimmerman, M (1995). Structured Interview for DSM-IV Personality (SIDP-IV). University of Iowa, Department of Psychiatry: Iowa City.Google Scholar
Reichborn-Kjennerud, T, Ystrom, E, Neale, MC, Aggen, SH, Mazzeo, SE, Knudsen, GP, Tambs, K, Czajkowski, NO, Kendler, KS (2013). Structure of genetic and environmental risk factors for symptoms of DSM-IV borderline personality disorder. JAMA Psychiatry 70, 1206–1214.Google Scholar
Rhee, SH, Waldman, ID (2002). Genetic and environmental influences on antisocial behavior: a meta-analysis of twin and adoption studies. Psychological Bulletin 128, 490–529.Google Scholar
Roysamb, E, Kendler, KS, Tambs, K, Orstavik, RE, Neale, MC, Aggen, SH, Torgersen, S, Reichborn-Kjennerud, T (2011). The joint structure of DSM-IV Axis I and Axis II disorders. Journal of Abnormal Psychology 120, 198–209.Google Scholar
Silberg, JL, Rutter, M, Tracy, K, Maes, HH, Eaves, L (2007). Etiological heterogeneity in the development of antisocial behavior: the Virginia Twin Study of Adolescent Behavioral Development and the Young Adult Follow-Up. Psychological Medicine 37, 1193–1202.Google Scholar
Sullivan, PF, Eaves, LJ (2002). Evaluation of analyses of univariate discrete twin data. Behavior genetics 32, 221–227.Google Scholar
Tambs, K, Ronning, T, Prescott, CA, Kendler, KS, Reichborn-Kjennerud, T, Torgersen, S, Harris, JR (2009). The Norwegian Institute of Public Health twin study of mental health: examining recruitment and attrition bias. Twin Research and Human Genetics 12, 158–168.Google Scholar
Torgersen, S, Czajkowski, N, Jacobson, K, Reichborn-Kjennerud, T, Roysamb, E, Neale, MC, Kendler, KS (2008). Dimensional representations of DSM-IV cluster B personality disorders in a population-based sample of Norwegian twins: a multivariate study. Psychological Medicine 38, 1617–1625.Google Scholar
Torgersen, S, Lygren, S, Oien, PA, Skre, I, Onstad, S, Edvardsen, J, Tambs, K, Kringlen, E (2000). A twin study of personality disorders. Comprehensive Psychiatry 41, 416–425.Google Scholar
Trull, TJ, Verges, A, Wood, PK, Sher, KJ (2013). The structure of DSM-IV-TR personality disorder diagnoses in NESARC: a reanalysis. Journal of Personality Disorders 27, 727–734.Google Scholar
White, CN, Gunderson, JG, Zanarini, MC, Hudson, JI (2003). Family studies of borderline personality disorder: a review. Harvard Review of Psychiatry 11, 8–19.Google Scholar
Zanarini, MC (2000). Childhood experiences associated with the development of borderline personality disorder. Psychiatric Clinics of North America 23, 89–101.Google Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Reichborn-Kjennerud supplementary material

Tables S1-S3 and Figure S1

Download Reichborn-Kjennerud supplementary material(File)
File 24.2 KB
Supplementary material: File

Reichborn-Kjennerud supplementary material

Figure

Download Reichborn-Kjennerud supplementary material(File)
File 74.2 KB