When discussing the comorbidity between both BPD and ED, Sansone & Sansone (2007) found that when an individual has undergone childhood trauma, they may develop an Axis II disorder (which includes BPD). If that is the case, Sansone & Sansone (2007) found that there is a significant possibility that the patient will also begin to exhibit eating disorder pathology. Researchers Sansone & Sansone (2007) believe that the comorbidity between the two disorders is a result of two factors:

• Body Disturbances
• Self-Harm

That said, when helping indidvuals who display symptomatology of both disorders, clinicians might attempt to assess the BPD symptoms foremost because it acts as a foundation for the eating disorder. BPD features often set the stage for the development of disordered eating behaviors, particularly in the form of bingeing, purging, or restrictive food rituals, which may be dysfunctional attempts at coping with negative affect