An empirical examination into the sexuality of women with borderline personality disorder

Abstract

In the last decade, a great deal of research has been accomplished in the study of borderline personality, but the literature is yet to systematically examine the intimate relationships of individuals with this particular personality disorder. In doing so, this study compared a sample of female borderlines with an adequately matched sample of non-personality disorders (aged 23–33 years) using the following measures: the Hurlbert Index of Sexual Assertiveness, the Sexual Opinion Survey, the Sexuality Scale, and the Index of Sexual Satisfaction. In the borderlme sample, about 50% of the women reported a childhood history of physical or sexual abuse, as compared to about 15% in the control group. Also, borderline women were found to have significantly higher sexual assertiveness, greater erolophilic attitudes, and higher sexual esteeyn. Despite these findings, the borderline group evidenced significantly greater sexual preoccupation, sexual depression, and sexual dissatisfaction. Implications for these findings and treatment issues are discussed.