Trauma, personality structure and psychopathology: a cartography of psychodynamic constructs
Abstract Background In this study, network analysis technique is applied to dissect the links between personality organization, reflective functioning, attachment security, primary affective traits, childhood trauma and psychopathological symptoms. Methods A total sample of 498 (77% female) particip...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40479-025-00308-0 |
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| author | Jürgen Fuchshuber Victor Blüml Nestor Kapusta Henriette Löffler-Stastka Johanna Alexopoulos Elisa Renner Hugo Senra Human-Friedrich Unterrainer |
| author_facet | Jürgen Fuchshuber Victor Blüml Nestor Kapusta Henriette Löffler-Stastka Johanna Alexopoulos Elisa Renner Hugo Senra Human-Friedrich Unterrainer |
| author_sort | Jürgen Fuchshuber |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background In this study, network analysis technique is applied to dissect the links between personality organization, reflective functioning, attachment security, primary affective traits, childhood trauma and psychopathological symptoms. Methods A total sample of 498 (77% female) participants from the general population was investigated. A cross-sectional network between personality organization [IPO-16], hypomentalizing [RFQ-6], attachment [ECR-RD8]), primary affective traits [BANPS-GL], depression, anxiety and somatization symptoms [BSI-18], addiction [WHO-ASSIST] and childhood trauma [CTQ] was estimated via the EBICglasso and relimp algorithm. Regularized partial correlation edge weights, node centrality, predictability, bridge centrality, relative importance and stability coefficients were analyzed. Results We observed personality organization, SADNESS and hypomentalizing as the most influential personality constructs within the investigated network. Personality organization and hypomentalizing were also observed as nodes with the highest bridge centrality, signifying their potential relevance as mediator between trauma, affect and psychiatric symptom severity. Conclusions The results enable a data-driven, in-depth examination of the complex and often reciprocal relations among psychopathological symptoms, childhood adversity and psychodynamic personality constructs. Our observations highlight critical interconnections among childhood trauma, primary affects, personality functioning and psychopathology and pinpoint personality organization, hypomentalizing and SADNESS as central psychodynamic personality constructs. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a2dc7d0fdaf345128a841277488e7f02 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2051-6673 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation |
| spelling | doaj-art-a2dc7d0fdaf345128a841277488e7f022025-08-24T11:08:57ZengBMCBorderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation2051-66732025-08-0112111410.1186/s40479-025-00308-0Trauma, personality structure and psychopathology: a cartography of psychodynamic constructsJürgen Fuchshuber0Victor Blüml1Nestor Kapusta2Henriette Löffler-Stastka3Johanna Alexopoulos4Elisa Renner5Hugo Senra6Human-Friedrich Unterrainer7Department of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, Medical University ViennaDepartment of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, Medical University ViennaDepartment of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, Medical University ViennaDepartment of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, Medical University ViennaDepartment of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, Medical University ViennaInstitute of Psychology, Sigmund Freud UniversityIEETA, University of AveiroCenter for Integrative Addiction Research (CIAR), Grüner Kreis SocietyAbstract Background In this study, network analysis technique is applied to dissect the links between personality organization, reflective functioning, attachment security, primary affective traits, childhood trauma and psychopathological symptoms. Methods A total sample of 498 (77% female) participants from the general population was investigated. A cross-sectional network between personality organization [IPO-16], hypomentalizing [RFQ-6], attachment [ECR-RD8]), primary affective traits [BANPS-GL], depression, anxiety and somatization symptoms [BSI-18], addiction [WHO-ASSIST] and childhood trauma [CTQ] was estimated via the EBICglasso and relimp algorithm. Regularized partial correlation edge weights, node centrality, predictability, bridge centrality, relative importance and stability coefficients were analyzed. Results We observed personality organization, SADNESS and hypomentalizing as the most influential personality constructs within the investigated network. Personality organization and hypomentalizing were also observed as nodes with the highest bridge centrality, signifying their potential relevance as mediator between trauma, affect and psychiatric symptom severity. Conclusions The results enable a data-driven, in-depth examination of the complex and often reciprocal relations among psychopathological symptoms, childhood adversity and psychodynamic personality constructs. Our observations highlight critical interconnections among childhood trauma, primary affects, personality functioning and psychopathology and pinpoint personality organization, hypomentalizing and SADNESS as central psychodynamic personality constructs.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40479-025-00308-0Network analysisPrimary affectsPsychopathological symptomsAttachment securityPersonality |
| spellingShingle | Jürgen Fuchshuber Victor Blüml Nestor Kapusta Henriette Löffler-Stastka Johanna Alexopoulos Elisa Renner Hugo Senra Human-Friedrich Unterrainer Trauma, personality structure and psychopathology: a cartography of psychodynamic constructs Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation Network analysis Primary affects Psychopathological symptoms Attachment security Personality |
| title | Trauma, personality structure and psychopathology: a cartography of psychodynamic constructs |
| title_full | Trauma, personality structure and psychopathology: a cartography of psychodynamic constructs |
| title_fullStr | Trauma, personality structure and psychopathology: a cartography of psychodynamic constructs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Trauma, personality structure and psychopathology: a cartography of psychodynamic constructs |
| title_short | Trauma, personality structure and psychopathology: a cartography of psychodynamic constructs |
| title_sort | trauma personality structure and psychopathology a cartography of psychodynamic constructs |
| topic | Network analysis Primary affects Psychopathological symptoms Attachment security Personality |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40479-025-00308-0 |
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