Interpersonal Relationship Matrix, Marital Quality and Loneliness Pattern of Parents of Clients with Borderline Personality Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Normal Controls: A Comparative Exploration

The present study aimed to explore the pattern of interpersonal relationship matrix, marital quality and loneliness of three groups of subjects, namely, parents of Borderline Personality Disorder (P-BPD), parents of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (P-OCD) and parents of normal offspring (P-NC) with respect to selected personality variables, namely, Interpersonal relationship pattern, Marital Quality and Loneliness of the subjects. The sample consisted of 90 male (fathers) and 90 female (mothers) subjects, divided into three groups, age ranging from 4062 years. The obtained results were analyzed by using ANOVA followed by Post-hoc Tukey (HSD) test. Results revealed significant profile differences amongst three groups with respect to all the three variables. P-BPD subjects were found to be less unassured-submissive, unassuming-ingenious, warm-agreeable than P-OCD and P-NC subjects. P-OCD clients were more arrogant, calculating, cold-hearted, aloof-introverted, unassuredsubmissive, less warm-agreeable and gregarious-extraverted than P-NC subjects. P-NC subjects had better marital quality than P-OCD subjects followed by P-BPD subjects. Loneliness was found to be greater in B-PBD subjects, followed by P-OCD subject and P-NC subjects. Implications of the study along psychotherapeutic angles have been discussed.