Autobiographical Memory and Interpersonal Problem Solving in Iranian Patients With Borderline Personality Disorder

Objective: This cross-sectional study aimed to compare the retrieval of autobiographical memory and the problem solving of people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and normal people. Methods: The study population comprised all patients with BPD in Tehran. The study sample consisted of 15 patients with BPD, who referred to Hazrat-e-Rasool Hospital and 15 control group people, who were mostly hospital staff. All participants were asked to complete a demographic questionnaire, means-ends problem solving task, and autobiographical memory test. Data were analyzed by t test and Pearson correlation test. Results: Based on the results, patients with BPD provided less effective solutions (P<0.001) and had more overgeneral memory style in autobiographical memory in response to pleasant, neutral (P<0.05), and unpleasant (P<0.01) cues. Conclusion: More strategies should be provided to retrieve specific memories and provide effective problem solving for patients with BPD.