Shahid Beheshti University Applied Psychology 2008-4331 18 3 2024 09 22 Attachment Insecurities and Features of Borderline Personality Disorder: The Mediational Role of Dichotomous Thinking and Social Trust Attachment Insecurities and Features of Borderline Personality Disorder: The Mediational Role of Dichotomous Thinking and Social Trust 100 123 103373 10.48308/apsy.2023.229702.1427 FA Ahmad Asgarizadeh Ph.D. Student in Psychology, Education and Psychology Faculty, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran. 0000-0001-8431-0548 Mahsa Hunjani MSc in Clinical Family Psychology, Family Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran. 0000-0002-7972-5420 Mohsen Dehghani Associate Professor, Education and Psychology Faculty, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran. 0000-0002-5260-352X Saeed Ghanbari Assistant professor, Education and Psychology Faculty, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran. Journal Article 2022 12 12 Aim: This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of dichotomous thinking and social trust in the relationship between insecure attachment dimensions and features of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Method: The statistical population consisted of university students from 20 provinces in Iran, with data collected from February to March 2021. A correlational design based on structural equation modeling was used, involving 436 university students selected through convenience sampling. Participants completed self-report measures, including the Personality Assessment Inventory-Borderline Scale, Adult Attachment Inventory, Social Trust Questionnaire, and Dichotomous Thinking Inventory. Structural equation modeling was applied to test the proposed model. Results: The serial mediation model showed that dichotomous thinking mediated the relationship between insecure attachment dimensions and social trust, which in turn predicted features of BPD. The predictor variables explained 4%, 50%, and 60% of the variance in dichotomous thinking, social trust, and BPD features, respectively. Conclusion: The pathway by which attachment insecurities influence BPD features varies by attachment dimension. Furthermore, social mistrust, rather than dichotomous thinking, serves as a key mechanism through which attachment insecurities contribute to BPD features. Addressing social mistrust may provide a more comprehensive understanding of BPD. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of dichotomous thinking and social trust in the relationship between insecure attachment dimensions and features of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Method: The statistical population consisted of university students from 20 provinces in Iran, with data collected from February to March 2021. A correlational design based on structural equation modeling was used, involving 436 university students selected through convenience sampling. Participants completed self-report measures, including the Personality Assessment Inventory-Borderline Scale, Adult Attachment Inventory, Social Trust Questionnaire, and Dichotomous Thinking Inventory. Structural equation modeling was applied to test the proposed model. Results: The serial mediation model showed that dichotomous thinking mediated the relationship between insecure attachment dimensions and social trust, which in turn predicted features of BPD. The predictor variables explained 4%, 50%, and 60% of the variance in dichotomous thinking, social trust, and BPD features, respectively. Conclusion: The pathway by which attachment insecurities influence BPD features varies by attachment dimension. Furthermore, social mistrust, rather than dichotomous thinking, serves as a key mechanism through which attachment insecurities contribute to BPD features. Addressing social mistrust may provide a more comprehensive understanding of BPD.

https://apsy.sbu.ac.ir/article_103373_b31cb66ed0e7cc748e7fd59e47ca4bf9.pdf