Personality traits or emotional dysregulation: a multiple mediation analyses of adolescent depression

Abstract Background In a similar way to depression, the development of borderline personality traits seems closely linked to the experience of Stressful Life Events (SLEs). This study examined the extent to which emotion regulation and personality traits simultaneously mediate and significantly atte...

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Main Authors: Tore Aune, Leo Wolmer, Sigrid Flatås Aune, Daniel Hamiel, Hans M. Nordahl
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-08-01
Series:Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40479-025-00302-6
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author Tore Aune
Leo Wolmer
Sigrid Flatås Aune
Daniel Hamiel
Hans M. Nordahl
author_facet Tore Aune
Leo Wolmer
Sigrid Flatås Aune
Daniel Hamiel
Hans M. Nordahl
author_sort Tore Aune
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background In a similar way to depression, the development of borderline personality traits seems closely linked to the experience of Stressful Life Events (SLEs). This study examined the extent to which emotion regulation and personality traits simultaneously mediate and significantly attenuate the direct path between SLEs and depressive symptoms. Method Parallel and serial multiple mediation models were employed to analyze a sample of 196 adolescents assessed twice over a 12-month period. A regression-based path analysis approach was employed to simultaneously estimate the specific indirect effects of emotion regulation and borderline traits on the direct relationship between SLEs and depression. Results In a parallel multiple mediation model, both borderline traits and emotion regulation fully mediated the direct relationship between SLEs and depressive symptoms. The serial multiple mediation model also showed complete mediation. In this model, the indirect pathway from SLEs to depressive symptoms, first through borderline traits and subsequently through emotion regulation, accounted for 70.8% of the total indirect effect. In contrast, the indirect effects via borderline traits and emotion regulation accounted for 24% and 5.3% of the total indirect effects, respectively. Conclusion To strengthen clinical practice, early identification of borderline personality traits combined with targeted interventions to address specific symptoms may enhance emotional regulation and reduce the risk of depressive symptoms in vulnerable adolescents.
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series Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation
spelling doaj-art-e417fe61c8b64d5983b5b5fdf96fcd072025-08-20T03:45:45ZengBMCBorderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation2051-66732025-08-0112111210.1186/s40479-025-00302-6Personality traits or emotional dysregulation: a multiple mediation analyses of adolescent depressionTore Aune0Leo Wolmer1Sigrid Flatås Aune2Daniel Hamiel3Hans M. Nordahl4Faculty of Nursing and Health Sciences, Nord UniversitetetBaruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman UniversityNorwegian University of Science and TechnologyBaruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman UniversityDepartment of Mental Health, NTNUAbstract Background In a similar way to depression, the development of borderline personality traits seems closely linked to the experience of Stressful Life Events (SLEs). This study examined the extent to which emotion regulation and personality traits simultaneously mediate and significantly attenuate the direct path between SLEs and depressive symptoms. Method Parallel and serial multiple mediation models were employed to analyze a sample of 196 adolescents assessed twice over a 12-month period. A regression-based path analysis approach was employed to simultaneously estimate the specific indirect effects of emotion regulation and borderline traits on the direct relationship between SLEs and depression. Results In a parallel multiple mediation model, both borderline traits and emotion regulation fully mediated the direct relationship between SLEs and depressive symptoms. The serial multiple mediation model also showed complete mediation. In this model, the indirect pathway from SLEs to depressive symptoms, first through borderline traits and subsequently through emotion regulation, accounted for 70.8% of the total indirect effect. In contrast, the indirect effects via borderline traits and emotion regulation accounted for 24% and 5.3% of the total indirect effects, respectively. Conclusion To strengthen clinical practice, early identification of borderline personality traits combined with targeted interventions to address specific symptoms may enhance emotional regulation and reduce the risk of depressive symptoms in vulnerable adolescents.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40479-025-00302-6Personality traitsStressful life eventsDepressionMediationAdolescentsLongitudinal
spellingShingle Tore Aune
Leo Wolmer
Sigrid Flatås Aune
Daniel Hamiel
Hans M. Nordahl
Personality traits or emotional dysregulation: a multiple mediation analyses of adolescent depression
Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation
Personality traits
Stressful life events
Depression
Mediation
Adolescents
Longitudinal
title Personality traits or emotional dysregulation: a multiple mediation analyses of adolescent depression
title_full Personality traits or emotional dysregulation: a multiple mediation analyses of adolescent depression
title_fullStr Personality traits or emotional dysregulation: a multiple mediation analyses of adolescent depression
title_full_unstemmed Personality traits or emotional dysregulation: a multiple mediation analyses of adolescent depression
title_short Personality traits or emotional dysregulation: a multiple mediation analyses of adolescent depression
title_sort personality traits or emotional dysregulation a multiple mediation analyses of adolescent depression
topic Personality traits
Stressful life events
Depression
Mediation
Adolescents
Longitudinal
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s40479-025-00302-6
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