Symbolisierungsstörungen und emotional instabile Persönlichkeitsentwicklung

Abstract

Dysfunctions in symbolization-processes and Borderline-personality-disorder. The incongruence of a person may vary between
different domains of experience. In person-centered therapies characteristic forms of incongruence were found for personality-disorders: some important domains of organismic experience seem to be nearly excluded from self-experience, while others seem to be accurately symbolized. Parts of organismic experience, in other words, seem to be “blocked”. This is explained by chronic dysfunctions of symbolization-processes. In a first clinical study the assumed gaps of self-focused symbolization should be shown in a sample of adolescents with signs of Borderline-personality-disorder. The empirical results give support to the theory and help to understand BPD in a person-centered way.