Difficulties with emotion regulation have been associated with multiple psychiatric conditions. In this study, we aimed to investigate emotional regulation difficulties in young adults who gamble at least occasionally (ie, an enriched sample), and diagnosed with a range of psychiatric disorders using the validated Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS).

A total of 543 non-treatment-seeking individuals who had engaged in gambling activities on at least 5 occasions within the previous year, aged 18–29 were recruited from general community settings. Diagnostic assessments included the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Inventory, Minnesota Impulsive Disorders Interview, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder World Health Organization Screening Tool Part A, and the Structured Clinical Interview for Gambling Disorder. Emotional dysregulation was evaluated using DERS. The profile of emotional dysregulation across disorders was characterized using Z-scores (those with the index disorder vs. those without the index disorder).

Individuals with probable ADHD displayed the highest level of difficulties in emotional regulation, followed by intermittent explosive disorder, social phobia, and generalized anxiety disorder. In contrast, participants diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder showed relatively lower levels of difficulties with emotional regulation.

This study highlights the importance of recognizing emotional dysregulation as a trans-diagnostic phenomenon across psychiatric disorders. The results also reveal differing levels of emotional dysregulation across diagnoses, with potential implications for tailored treatment approaches. Despite limitations such as small sample sizes for certain disorders and limited age range, this study contributes to a broader understanding of emotional regulation’s role in psychiatric conditions.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a common and disabling mental health disorder and has detrimental effects on affected individuals across multiple domains. We aimed to investigate whether individuals with BPD differ from control subjects in terms of cognitive functions, and to see if there is a relationship between cognitive functions, impulsivity, and BPD symptom severity.

BPD individuals (n = 26; mean age = 26.7; 69.2% female) and controls (n = 58; mean age = 25.3; 51.7% female) were enrolled. Intra/Extra-Dimensional Set Shift (IED) and One Touch Stockings of Cambridge (OTS) tasks from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) were used to assess cognitive functions. Barratt Impulsivity Scale-version 11 (BIS−11) was administered to measure impulsivity and both the Zanarini Scale for Borderline Personality Disorder self-report and the clinician-administered versions were used to assess BPD symptom severity.

BPD group showed significantly impaired cognitive performance on the IED task versus controls, but there was not a significant difference in the OTS task. BPD symptom severity was positively correlated with trait (BIS-11) impulsivity and no correlation was found between BPD symptom severity and cognitive functions.

This study suggests people with BPD experience impaired cognitive flexibility and heightened impulsivity. Only impulsivity appeared to be directly related to symptom severity, perhaps indicating that cognitive inflexibility could be a vulnerability marker. Future research should focus on a longitudinal approach to extend clinical and theoretical knowledge in this area.

Skin picking disorder and trichotillomania, also characterized as body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs), often lead to functional impairment. Some people with BFRBs, however, report little if any psychosocial dysfunction. There has been limited research as to which clinical aspects of BFRBs are associated with varying degrees of functional impairment.

Adults (n = 98), ages 18 to 65 with a current diagnosis of trichotillomania (n = 37), skin picking disorder (n = 32), trichotillomania plus skin picking disorder (n = 10), and controls (n = 19) were enrolled. Partial least squares regression (PLS) was used to identify variables associated with impairment on the Sheehan Disability Scale.

PLS identified an optimal model accounting for 45.8% of variation in disability. Disability was significantly related to (in order of descending coefficient size): severity of picking, perceived stress, comorbid disorders (specifically, anxiety disorders / obsessive–compulsive disorder), trait impulsivity, family history of alcohol use disorder, atypical pulling/picking sites, and older age.

At present mental disorders are viewed as unitary entities; however, the extent of impairment varies markedly across patients with BFRBs. These data suggest that whereas symptom nature/severity is important in determining impairment, so too are other variables commonly unmeasured in clinical practice. Outcomes for patients may thus be maximized by rigorously addressing comorbid disorders; as well as integrating components designed to enhance top-down control and stress management. Interestingly, focused picking and emotional pulling were linked to worse disability, hinting at some differences between the two types of BFRBs, in terms of determinants of impairment.