The Emotion Reactivity Scale (ERS) measures emotional vulnerability across three subscales: sensitivity, intensity, and persistence (Lee et al., 2023). It is helpful to find a type of measurement for these variables, not only for coding purposes, but to interpret the level of emotional vulnerability each individual has–it looks different for everyone. Some individuals react quickly and feel it more strongly than others. Some examples from the scale include: “when I experience emotions, I feel them very strongly/intensely”, and “when something happens that upsets me, it’s all I can think about for a long time” (Lee et al. 2023). Higher scores indicate higher emotional reactivity, which is often the case for individuals with BPD and who score high on the ICES. 

Saint Olaf College

- BPD Development and Environment: Linehan's model proposes that BPD does not develop solely due to genetics, but is significantly influenced by an individual's environment (Lee et al., 2023). This environment can alter an individual's actions and coping mechanisms, particularly those with BPD.

- Definition of an Invalidating Environment: An invalidating environment encompasses not only overt forms of harm, such as neglect or physical abuse, but also subtler forms of harm, such as permissive parenting or being excessively involved in a child’s life (Lee et al., 2023).

- The Importance of Balance in Parenting: A crucial aspect of avoiding an invalidating environment lies in finding a balance between being hands-on in a child's life and allowing for their interdependence. This equilibrium between hands-on involvement and fostering interdependence will manifest uniquely across different developmental stages of a child's life.

The "Invalidating Environment": Linehan's Biosocial Model

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Reference List: Comorbidity of Borderline Personality Disorder and Eating Disorders

Haslam, M., Mountford, V., Meyer, C., & Waller, G. (2008). Invalidating childhood environment in anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Eating Behaviors, 9(3), 313–318. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2007.10.005

Invalidating childhood environment in anorexia and bulimia nervosa. 

The Invalidating Childhood Environment Scale (ICES) is a “ retrospective self-report measure of parental invalidating behaviors up to age 18 years” (Lee et al. 2023). It is a highly validated and consistent Likert scale where children assess the invalidating parental behaviors from one (never) to five (all of the time). Examples include items like "My [father or mother] would tell me I was overreacting when I was upset" and "My [father or mother] would get angry if I expressed negative feelings" (Lee et al. 2023). These examples demonstrate that an invalidating environment consists of dismissing the emotions of the child, making it even more difficult for said child to regulate their emotions.

The Invalidating Childhood Environment Scale 

Th Emotion Reactivity Scale

Linehan's research emphasizes the effects of the invalidating environment and the continuous cycle it creates. This cycle can ultimately begin with specific traits that an individual may be predisposed to from birth. These traits include:

- Impulsivity
- Emotional Vulnerability

This creates the cycle illustrated below:

Low self-control → harsh punishment → increased impulsivity.

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