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Emotion Regulation, Impulsivity, and Cluster B Personality Disorders
Finn S Cohen1, Joseph S Baschnagel1, Rebecca J Houston1
1Health and Addictions Research Center, Department of Psychology, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, USA.
Psychological Reports
|June 26, 2026
Summary
Difficulties in emotion regulation, particularly impulse control, are strongly linked to Cluster B personality disorders. Addressing these challenges can improve treatment outcomes for Borderline, Histrionic, Narcissistic, and Antisocial personality disorders.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Psychopathology
Background:
- Cluster B personality disorders (Borderline, Histrionic, Narcissistic, Antisocial) affect up to 5.5% of the population.
- These disorders involve intense emotional responses, but the link to emotion regulation abilities is under-researched.
- Existing research lacks detailed comparisons between specific symptoms and emotion regulation deficits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between emotion regulation difficulties and symptomatology across Cluster B personality disorders.
- To identify specific facets of emotion regulation and impulsivity associated with Cluster B personality disorder symptoms.
- To determine the predictive value of impulse control difficulties for Cluster B personality disorders.
Main Methods:
- Two studies utilized self-report measures in mixed non-clinical samples (N=325 and N=530).
- Participants completed assessments for emotion regulation (Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale), impulsivity, and personality disorder symptoms.
- Statistical analyses examined the associations between emotion regulation subscales and Cluster B disorder symptomatology.
Main Results:
- Difficulties with emotion-related impulse control significantly predicted symptoms across all four Cluster B personality disorders in Study 1.
- Study 2 revealed differential associations between specific facets of impulse control and Cluster B personality disorder symptoms.
- Impulse control difficulties accounted for a substantial portion of the variance in these disorders.
Conclusions:
- Emotion regulation, especially impulse control, is a critical factor in understanding Cluster B personality disorders.
- Targeted interventions focusing on impulse control and emotion regulation strategies are necessary for effective treatment.
- Improving emotion regulation and impulse control may enhance treatment outcomes for individuals with Cluster B personality disorders.
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