Researchers from the University of Gdansk in Poland explored whether musical preferences might signal the presence of borderline personality disorder (BPD) in individuals. Their findings were published in the scientific journal Psychology of Music (POM).
Borderline personality disorder is a mental health condition marked by ongoing mood volatility, fluctuations in self-image, impulsive behavior, and difficulties in maintaining stable relationships and daily functioning. These characteristics can contaminate personal interactions and daily life, often leading to strained connections with others.
The investigation into music preferences alongside BPD emerged from a broader understanding of music’s meaningful role in everyday life and its potential therapeutic value. Music can reflect emotional states, coping styles, and identity formation, offering a window into how individuals process feelings and relate to others.
In total, data were collected from 549 participants. The study used the Brief Test of Musical Preferences (STOMP) to gauge individual tastes by presenting 14 music categories and recording whether participants liked or disliked each category. This approach captures a wide spectrum of musical preferences and their relative appeal to different personality profiles.
Analysts observed that individuals with more pronounced BPD symptoms tended to diverge in their musical selections compared with those with milder symptoms. This pattern suggests that the severity of BPD may be linked to specific aesthetic preferences and the emotional resonance certain genres provide.
Within this framework, researchers noted that those with stronger BPD traits often gravitate toward music described as reflective or challenging, including classical and jazz. In contrast, they tended to show less interest in genres associated with intensity or rebellion, such as heavy metal or punk rock. The preference shifts appear to correlate with how people with BPD perceive the purposes of music in their lives, including its role in self-understanding and social connection.
Further analysis revealed that higher BPD symptom severity was associated with a reduced emphasis on music as a tool for enhancing self-awareness and fostering social bonds. In other words, as symptoms intensified, individuals reported valuing music less for its potential to illuminate inner states or facilitate interpersonal experiences.
It is important to note that these results describe associations, not cause-and-effect relationships. The study contributes to a growing body of research that considers how emotional and personality traits shape music preferences, and how listening choices might reflect underlying psychological processes. Such work can inform clinicians and researchers who are interested in the interplay between mood disorders and everyday behaviors, including music engagement and its emotional meaning.
Ultimately, these findings underscore the importance of considering personal interests, such as musical tastes, when assessing mental health. While music preference is just one of many factors, patterns that align with documented symptoms could aid in holistic evaluations and supportive interventions. Researchers emphasize that more work is needed to confirm these links and to examine how music use might support coping strategies across diverse populations, including different age groups and cultural backgrounds.
In a broader sense, this line of inquiry resonates with the ongoing discussion about the connection between technology use, such as smartphone habits, and mental well-being. As new studies emerge, clinicians may gain additional tools to understand how daily choices—ranging from media consumption to leisure activities like listening to music—interact with personality patterns and symptom trajectories. This evolving landscape highlights the value of integrating behavioral observations with self-reported experiences to form a more complete picture of mental health in the modern world.