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Abstract

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is associated with emotional instability, impulsivity, interpersonal difficulties, identity disturbance, and stress-related dissociative symptoms that may influence cognitive functioning. Research suggests that BPD may contribute to difficulties with attention, executive functioning, and memory, particularly during periods of emotional distress. These issues, combined with common co-occurring conditions such as trauma exposure, substance use disorders, and sleep disturbances, may affect the encoding, storage, retrieval, and recall of information. This article examines current literature on BPD and discusses how symptoms and associated factors could influence witness memory in forensic and legal settings. Because findings remain mixed, the presence of BPD alone should not be viewed as evidence of impaired or unreliable testimony. Instead, witness memory should be evaluated within the context of the individual's psychological functioning, co-occurring conditions, and the circumstances surrounding the event. Greater awareness of these considerations can assist criminal justice, forensic mental health, and legal professionals when interpreting eyewitness testimony and making psycholegal decisions.

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