The Relationship Between Feelings of Emptiness and Self-Harm Among Thai Patients Exhibiting Borderline Personality Disorder Symptoms: The Mediating Role of the Inner Strengths.
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) October 30, 2024 Piangdao Sripunya, Tinakon Wongpakaran, Nahathai Wongpakaran 2 citations
Feelings of emptiness are a key driver of self-harm in borderline personality disorder, but inner strengths such as adherence to the Five Precepts, meditation practice, and equanimity can weaken that link. In a study of 302 Thai adults with BPD symptoms, a mediation analysis showed that these inner strengths significantly reduced the direct effect of emptiness on self-harm, with the model explaining 38% of the variance in self-harm. The indirect effect through inner strengths was small but statistically significant, suggesting that cultivating these qualities may help buffer against self-harm by addressing underlying emotional difficulties.