Development and validation of an experience of time alone scale for borderline personality disorder

Intolerance of aloneness is considered a core feature of borderline personality disorder (BPD) that is clinically significant, yet under-researched. This study developed a measure of aloneness for individuals with BPD. Interviews investigating the experience of aloneness for BPD participants (n = 12...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2019-05, Vol.14 (5), p.e0217350-e0217350
Main Authors: Vardy, Yvette, Day, Nicholas J S, Grenyer, Brin F S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Anxiety
Biology and Life Sciences
Borderline personality disorder
Borderline Personality Disorder - psychology
Care and treatment
Case-Control Studies
Correlation analysis
Diagnosis
Empirical analysis
Factor analysis
Factor Analysis, Statistical
Female
Humans
Interpersonal Relations
Intolerance
Loneliness
Loneliness - psychology
Medical research
Medicine and Health Sciences
Mental disorders
Mental health
Middle Aged
Personality
Personality disorders
Pilot Projects
Psychoanalysis
Psychology
Psychopathology
Reliability analysis
Reliability aspects
Reproducibility of Results
Self Report
Social Sciences
Stress, Psychological
Suicidal behavior
Time Factors
Young Adult
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Summary:Intolerance of aloneness is considered a core feature of borderline personality disorder (BPD) that is clinically significant, yet under-researched. This study developed a measure of aloneness for individuals with BPD. Interviews investigating the experience of aloneness for BPD participants (n = 12) formed the basis for the development of the measure. Pilot testing then occurred with BPD participants, control participants and qualified respondents. Validity, reliability and factor analysis of an Experience of Time Alone Scale (ETAS) was conducted with BPD participants (n = 112) and a comparison control group (n = 105). A three factor structure was revealed: (a) Cannot Cope Alone (α = .92), (b) Need to Escape from Others (α = .90), and (c) Consumed in Intolerable Distress (α = .88). The measure correlated significantly (p < .01) with the Mental Health Inventory, the Aloneness and Evocative Memory Scale, and the Hurvich Experience Inventory- Revised. Comparisons revealed highly significant differences between the BPD sample and control group on all subscales and the total score (U = 75.5, p = < .001, r = -.85). This study represents one of the first empirical examinations of a construct that has largely only been studied theoretically. This newly developed measure may contribute to diagnosis and therapy.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0217350