Abstract
The nature of the relationship between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD) has been a subject of debate in recent years. The current thesis brings together a diversity of methodologies and approaches to investigate the similarities and differences of emotional dysregulation and mind wandering in ADHD and BPD.Analyses in chapters 3, 4, and 5 are based on data from the PRIDE project, a case-control study of 114 adult females: 32 with ADHD, 19 with BPD, 27 with comorbid ADHD/BPD, and 36 psychiatrically healthy controls. Analyses in chapter 6 represent findings from a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating the effects of stimulants and atomoxetine on symptoms of emotional dysregulation in ADHD.
All the findings in this thesis point to the transdiagnostic nature of the overlapping symptoms of ADHD and BPD and of related impairments in various life domains, reflecting the heterogeneous picture of both conditions. The empirical findings of this thesis challenge the value of the categorical classification of ADHD and BPD, supporting instead a more dimensional and symptom-led approach of classification.
The research presented here has clinical implications for the identification and treatment of ADHD and BPD in adulthood.
| Date of Award | 2019 |
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| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisor | Philip Asherson (Supervisor) & Paul Moran (Supervisor) |