Most studies investigating Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) focus on the negative states associated with this diagnosis. A recent study (Reed & Zanarini, 2011) appearing in the Journal of Personality Disorders complements those studies by examining how positive affective and cognitive states may discriminate BPD from other PDs. An inpatient sample of 96 individuals meeting criteria for BPD was compared to 24 inpatients meeting criteria for other PDs. This study showed that BPD is marked by fewer overall positive states than other PDs. Positive affective states were more uncommon in BPD patients than positive cognitive or mixed affective-cognitive states. BPD patients were particularly less likely to experience the states of "Fond of myself", "That things around me are real", and "That I've forgiven others", whereas they were more likely to experience the state of being "Assertive".

Reed, Lawrence Ian, & Zanarini, Mary C. (2011). Positive Affective and Cognitive States in Borderline Personality Disorder. Journal of Personality Disorders, 25(6), 851-862. doi: 10.1521/pedi.2011.25.6.851

The Personality Project

Does Borderline Personality Disorder associate with positive psychological states?