Acceso usuarios
Madrid, España
Background and Objectives This study extends previous research on the feeling of emptiness in Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) by revising and refining the Feeling of Emptiness Scale (FES) developed by Palomares et al. (2020)10. Through integrated statistical and theoretical analyses, this study aimed to improve the scale´s conceptual clarity and item quality while advancing understanding of feeling of emptiness as clinical construct.
Methods A total of 205 patients primary diagnosis of BPD were assessed using the FES. We first conducted a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to confirm the exploratory structure from the original FES version. Given the unsatisfactory model fit, an Exploratory Graphical Analysis (EGA) and item redundancy analysis were conducted. Finally, the derived structure was subsequently validated through CFA. Finally, experts consensus was employed for the conceptual interpretation of the identified components.
Results A 19-item version was obtained. A robust three-factor structure was identified through bootstrap EGA: “Frustrated Sense of Belonging” (6 items, ω = 0.854), “Lack of connection with self” (9 items, ω = 0.918), and “Lack of self-worth” (α = 0.919), indicating that the refined instrument provides a consistent measure of feeling of emptiness.
Conclusions This comprehensive revision of the FES identifies three robust dimensions of feeling of emptiness in personality disorders: “frustrated belonging-inner loneliness” (interpersonal), “identity diffusion-loss of meaning” (identity-psychological), and “lack of intrinsic worth” (agency-identity). This refined structure provides a more precise conceptualization of the construct and a solid framework for specific clinical interventions.
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