Implicitly measured aggressiveness self-concepts in women with borderline personality disorder as assessed by an Implicit Association Test.

Abstract Background Aggressiveness resulting from inappropriately intense anger plays a major role in borderline personality disorder (BPD) and research using self-report measures has consistently found elevated levels of aggression in this condition. However, while self-report assesses explicit dimensions of the self-concept, it cannot elucidate implicit processes that are at least equally important as they guide the perceptions of the self and influence behavioral responses. The present study aimed to extend the research on aggressiveness self-concepts in BPD utilizing an indirect latency-based measure. Methods Twenty-nine female inpatients with BPD and 21 healthy women were assessed with…