Losing a job on purpose: relationships with borderline personality symptomatology

Abstract

Aim: The purpose of the present study was to examine one facet of employment viability, losing a job on purpose, among individuals with borderline personality symptomatology (BPS).

Methods: Using a cross-sectional self-report survey methodology in a combined sample of four prior studies from the same study site (n = 1493), we examined the relationship between losing a job on purpose and two self-report measures for BPS.

Results: There were 7.6% of participants that endorsed losing a job on purpose, with no statistically significant difference between the proportions of males and females. Point-biserial correlation coefficients revealed that those who endorsed losing a job on purpose scored statistically significantly higher on both measures of BPS and were more likely to exceed the clinical cut-off scores on both measures of BPS. Multiple regression analyses indicated that findings were independent of gender or age.

Conclusion: One factor in poor employment viability among individuals with BPS appears to be the behaviour of losing a job on purpose.