Project group
Aleksandra Eriksen Isham (PI), Lars Mehlum, Lynn Ann Watson, Annette Bohn, Carsten Renè Jørgensen.
User involvement: Five adolescents were involved in reviewing and providing feedback on the materials.
Collaborating institutions
Centre on Autobiographical Memory Research (CON AMORE), Aarhus University
Background
Two of the main challenges experienced by individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) are persistent difficulties with handling emotions and an unstable sense of self. These difficulties are in turn associated with risk behaviours such as self-harm and suicidality. Empirical research on mechanisms underlying these difficulties has long been limited. This lack of knowledge may prevent efficient and evidence-based early treatment and prevention of BPD and related risk behaviours. Therefore, enhancing the understanding of vulnerability factors that may underlie the emergence of BPD is important for providing earlier and better help to individuals suffering from BPD, or who may be at risk of developing BPD.
One process that is relevant investigating in relation to BPD vulnerability, is autobiographical memory. Autobiographical memory plays a central role in identity formation and emotion regulation, which constitute core processes that are disrupted in BPD and are associated with self-harm and suicidality. Furthermore, research investigating the autobiographical memories of adults with BPD, suggests that these differ in several ways from healthy adults’ memories. As such, disrupted autobiographical memory may be a key mechanism underlying the emergence of core BPD features, self-harm and suicidality during adolescence and early adulthood.
Aim
The overall aim of BOLD MINDS is to enhance the understanding of vulnerability factors underlying the emergence of BPD and related risk behaviours during adolescence. The project will achieve this by investigating whether two aspects of AM, narrative identity, which forms a basis for how we view ourselves, and involuntary memories, which often trigger strong emotions, are associated with BPD features, self-harm, and suicidality in adolescence.
Method
BOLD MINDS will collect data from Danish adolescents attending relevant vocational and educational training programs, support programs, and and interest organisations for adolescents struggling with self-harm, psychosocial or related problems. BOLD MINDS will employ a memory diary method and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to assess features of involuntary and voluntary memories, self-harm, and suicidality in everyday life. A self-report life story assessment will be used to assess narrative identity. The project will employ interview and self-report questionnaires to assess BPD features, self-harm, suicidality, and other relevant measures. Data will be collected from the same participants at two time points, to enable investigation of both concurrent and prospective associations between AM characteristics and BPD features, self-harm, and suicidality in adolescents.
Status
Data collection is ongoing and has made slow progress due to difficulties in recruiting participants. One peer-reviewed article and two popular science articles have been published in 2025 and 2026
Publications
- Isham, A.E. (2026). Minnene til personer med BPD skiller seg fra andre personers minner. Medisinbloggen. https://www.med.uio.no/om/aktuelt/blogg/2026/minner-bpd-boderline-skiller-seg-fra-andre.html
- Isham, A. E. (2025). Emosjonelt ustabil personlighetsforstyrrelse, villet egenskade og suicidalitet i ungdomsårene: Spiller selvbiografisk hukommelse en rolle? Suicidologi, 30(1), 78-83. https://doi.org/10.5617/suicidologi.12358
- Isham, A. E. (2025). Borderline personality disorder and autobiographical memory: Do memories play a role in the development of borderline personality disorder? Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/days-gone-by/202507/borderline-personality-disorder-and-autobiographical-memory
Conference presentations
- Isham, A. E., Sørensen, A. L. B., Mehlum, L., Bohn, A., Jørgensen, C. R., & Watson, L.A. (2026). Involuntary memory features in adolescence: associations with BPD traits, self-harm urge, and suicidal ideation. Invited talk at Memory and Lunch meeting, Centre on Autobiographical Memory Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus.
- Isham, A. E., Sørensen, A. L. B., Mehlum, L., Bohn, A., Jørgensen, C. R., & Watson, L.A. (2026). Involuntary autobiographical memories in adolescence: are they associated with BPD traits, self-harm urge and suicidal ideation in daily life? Paper presented at the Autobiographical Processing and Psychopathology 2026 Conference, Plymouth.
- Isham, A. E., Watson, L. A., Sørensen, A. L. B., Bohn, A., Jørgensen, C. R., & Mehlum, L. (2026). Disruptions in narrative identity and vulnerability for BPD, self-harm, and suicidality during adolescence: are they associated? Poster presented at the Autobiographical Processing and Psychopathology 2026 Conference, Plymouth.
- Isham, A.E.., Sørensen, A. L. B., Mehlum, L., Bohn, A., Jørgensen, C. R., & Watson, L. A. (2025). Involuntary autobiographical memories: are they linked to BPD, self-harm, and suicide vulnerability in adolescents? Paper presented at the International Society for the Study of Personality Disorders 2025 International Congress, Boston.
- Isham, A.E., Watson, L. A., Sørensen, A. L. B., Bohn, A., Jørgensen, C. R., & Mehlum, L. (2025). Disruptions in narrative identity and vulnerability for BPD, self-harm, and suicidality during adolescence: are they associated? Poster presented at the International Society for the Study of Personality Disorders 2025 International Congress, Boston.
- Isham, A.E., Watson, L. A., Bohn, A., Jørgensen, C. R., & Mehlum, L. (2025). Narrativ identitet og BPD-trekk, selvskade og suicidalitet i ungdomsårene. Poster presented at the 13. nasjonale konferanse om selvmordsforskning og -forebygging Oslo.
- Isham, A.E., Watson, L. A., Bohn, A., Jørgensen, C. R., & Mehlum, L. (2025). Involuntary autobiographical memories: a potential vulnerability factor for the emergence of BPD during adolescence? Poster presented at the The Society for Applied Research in Memory and Cognition 2025 Conference, Kildare.
