Overlapping Phenotypes of Compulsive Buying-Shopping Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder: An Evidence-Based...

Compulsive Buying-Shopping Disorder (CBSD) and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) are two clinically relevant conditions that frequently co-occur. Previous studies suggest overlapping etiological pathways, yet a structured comparison of the two disorders is missing. This paper aimed to map and contrast the key psychological constructs associated with CBSD and BPD based on established diagnostic criteria and the existing literature.

A comprehensive, iterative literature search was conducted in PubMed and Google Scholar without publication date restrictions, including qualitative, quantitative, and review studies in English and German. Constructs were categorized based on the strength and consistency of the evidence, and findings were synthesized narratively and illustrated visually.

Shared constructs include impulsivity, affective/emotional stability and regulation, self-regulation/control, self-concept/identity, attachment style/emotional dependence, decision-making, perfectionism, and novelty seeking. For CBSD, constructs such as cue-reactivity/craving, compulsivity, behavioral inhibition/activation system, materialism, attachment to possessions, and approach-oriented personality traits were more prominent. In contrast, BPD-specific constructs include internal representations of self and others/object relations, mentalization, chronic emptiness, perceptual/interpretation bias, non-suicidal self-injurious behavior, social relationships, and dissociative symptoms.

The resulting model offers a preliminary framework to distinguish shared and unique features of CBSD and BPD, supporting transdiagnostic understanding and contributing to improved diagnostic precision and intervention strategies.