Borderline personality disorder and non-consensual sexting by gender and sexuality

Abstract There is evidence that psychosocial difficulties associated with borderline personality disorder (BPD) extend into online interactions. However, it is unknown whether this includes online interactions in the form of non-consensual sexting perpetration and victimization, and if so, which BPD symptoms are responsible, how these symptoms influence sexting, and the extent to which this influence differs by gender and sexuality. Therefore, a convenience sample of 951 adults (470 women; 481 men; 718 heterosexual/straight; 233 sexual minority), aged 18–46 years (M = 24.39, SD = 4.76), were asked to complete an online survey containing the McLean Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder (MSI-BPD) as well as measures of non-consensual sexting perpetration and victimization, sexting attitudes and perceived norms, sexting victimization-related distress, and psychological functioning. Chi-square tests revealed that women and sexual minority men are at higher risk of victimization, whereas men (irrespective of sexual orientation) are at higher risk of perpetration. Multigroup path analyses showed that interpersonal and behavioural symptoms of BPD were associated with increased exposure to victimization across all subgroups, and increased risk of sexting perpetration but only in women. Although positive attitudes and perceived norms about sexting did not mediate these associations, victimization-related distress mediated associations between interpersonal symptoms of BPD and impaired psychological functioning across all subgroups. These results suggest a role for interpersonal and, to a lesser extent, behavioural symptoms of BPD in increasing risk of exposure to and psychological sensitivity to non-consensual sexting victimization.