Anger and Emotion Regulation Associated With Borderline and Antisocial Personality Features Within a Correctional Sample.

Although diagnostically distinct, research indicates that antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD) share common features, including anger impulses and emotion dysregulation. It is unclear, however, how these variables are expressed and experienced differentially. The current study sought to examine independent associations of forms of anger expression and emotion dysregulation among a sample of incarcerated males. Participants were 30 males incarcerated in a county jail who completed self-report measures of BPD and ASPD features, emotion dysregulation, and anger. Results revealed that when controlling for the co-occurrence of the other disorder, anger expression and emotion dysregulation were significantly associated with BPD. Difficulties engaging in goal-directed behavior were significantly associated with ASPD. BPD may confer unique clinical challenges among incarcerated samples.