Explosive temperament is an additional dimension of BPD that is higher in men than women, and is characterized by repeated bouts of anger that are disproportionate in reason and intensity. 

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

It has been proposed that there are gender differences in BPD presentation - most notably, there are patterns of novelty seeking and explosive temperament in men with BPD that aren't in men.

BPD and Gender

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2018, September 19). Intermittent Explosive Disorder. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved November 6, 2022, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/intermittent-explosive-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20373921 

Intermittent Explosive Disorder

Explosive Temperament in Men with BPD

One theory of the gender distinctions between BPD symptology discusses not the individual dimensions of difference, but the wider picture depicted by the theme of the dimensions. It is possible that men are more likely to externalize their symptoms of mental illness, a process characterized by behavioral symptoms directed outwards and towards others. Notably, their gender-unique symptoms of explosive temperament and novelty-seeking are both externalizing. Contrastingly, women's gender-unique symptoms of BPD include affective instability, which is an internalized symptom. 

Gender Differences in Internalizing vs. Externalizing BPD

Novelty-seeking is a dimension of personality related to responsivity to the excitement of new stimuli. Within the context of BPD, this can cross into risky behaviors such as excessive gambling, spending of money, or substance use. Men with BPD demonstrate an elevated level of novelty-seeking in comparison to women. Explanations of this include the biological (e.g., impaired dopaminergic functioning) as well as social (e.g., socialization of men to be more thrill-seeking).

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