Esquemas Iniciais Desadaptativos e personalidade borderline: impacto de eventos estressores precoces

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to establish connections between Early Stressful Events (ESEs) in childhood, Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMSs), and the severity of psychiatric symptoms in a patient diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) who was admitted to a mental health unit. METHOD: Data collection involved the Sociodemographic Questionnaire, the Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ-S3), and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). RESULTS: From the conducted case study, it was possible to observe that the patient had a history of ESEs during childhood, including physical and emotional abuse and emotional neglect. This history contributed to the development of EMSs such as abandonment/instability, entitlement/grandiosity, approval-seeking/recognition-seeking, emotional inhibition, and unrelenting standards/hypercriticalness. These schemas, in turn, influenced the maintenance and severity of BPD symptoms, although it was not possible to establish a direct relationship between the presence of these schemas and psychiatric hospitalization. CONCLUSION: As this is a single case study, it is not possible to establish a direct or generalizable relationship between ESEs, EMSs, and the severity of mental disorders. Nevertheless, in this specific case, a possible association between these factors was observed, contributing to relevant clinical reflections. This underscores the importance of intervention strategies focused on preventing ESEs in childhood, strengthening secure and stable bonds throughout development, and providing comprehensive care to individuals in psychological distress, especially following psychiatric hospitalization.