Mentalization in borderline personality disorder: From bench to bedside.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Psychology
• Translational Research

Background:

• Borderline personality disorder (BPD) treatment research requires robust translational models.
• Mentalizing, the capacity to understand mental states in self and others, is central to mentalization-based therapy (MBT).

Discussion:

• Translational research in mental health, especially for personality disorders, faces unique challenges.
• The construct of mentalizing offers a framework to meet translational criteria in BPD research and practice.

Key Insights:

• Mentalizing demonstrates potential as a translational construct for BPD.
• This special issue examines mentalizing's role across the translational spectrum for BPD.

Outlook:

• Further evaluation of mentalizing's utility in BPD is warranted.
• Establishing mentalizing as a translational construct can advance BPD understanding and treatment.