October 8, 2025

We celebrate World Mental Health Day every 10 October, raising awareness about mental health education and advocacy against social stigma in Singapore and beyond. ‘Validating the Biosocial Model of Borderline Personality Disorder: Findings from a Longitudinal Study’ (Development and Psychopathology, 2023) by Dr. Stephanie S. M. Lee and Associate Professor Ryan Y. Hong (both from NUS Psychology), and Dr. Keng Shian-Ling (Monash University Malaysia) explores the biosocial model, which suggests that borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a disorder of self-regulation. This model theorises that an individual’s emotional vulnerability deteriorates in an invalidating environment over time, contributing to increasing emotion dysregulation and worsening BPD symptoms. The researchers examine whether impulsivity, a vulnerability factor in the extended biosocial model, uniquely predicts future emotion dysregulation and BPD symptoms, in addition to existing emotional vulnerability and parental invalidation. They also explore the relationship between these three factors.

The study utilised a longitudinal design where Singaporean adolescents completed a series of questionnaires every six months over three occasions. These questionnaires included scales to self-assess three factors (impulsivity, emotional vulnerability, and parental invalidation) as well as BPD features. The analysis showed that the biosocial model is relevant in the Singaporean context. There are transactional associations between vulnerability factors, and parental invalidation can be amplified during increased familial stress. Both impulsivity and emotional vulnerability positively predicted residual changes in emotion dysregulation and BPD symptoms six months later.

The researchers conclude by recognising the importance of reducing parental invalidation and teaching adolescents emotion regulation and impulse control skills to prevent the development of emotion regulation problems or BPD symptoms. These strategies align with those used in effective treatments for BPD, such as dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), highlighting the importance of early intervention programs. Additionally, training parents in validation skills, as done in the Family Connections program, can address parental invalidation. Healthcare professionals, parents, and children must work together to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health treatment and ensure that effective support is accessible to those in need.

Read the article here.