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. 2025 Aug 25;12:32. doi: 10.1186/s40479-025-00307-1

Table 2.

Cyberball manipulation check: need threat questionnaire results, ostracism intensity, perceived ball tosses and belief cover story

Variable Group Condition M SD Statistics
NTQ Overall Need threat BPD Overincl. 11.67 3.08 Group: F(1,160) = 73.9, p <.001, η2  = 0.32
Exclusion 17.09 2.89 Condition: F(1,160) = 114.19, p <.001, η2  = 0.42
HC Overincl. 8.95 1.56 Group × condition: F(1,160) = 3.77, p =.05, η2  = 0.02
Exclusion 12.64 2.87
NTQ Belonging BPD Overincl. 2.30 1.07 Group: F(1,160) = 25.18, p <.001, η² = 0.14
Exclusion 4.10 0.98 Condition: F(1,160) = 92.97, p <.001, η² = 0.37
HC Overincl. 1.87 0.64 Group × condition: F(1,160) = 4.93, p =.03, η² = 0.03
Exclusion 3.00 1.08
NTQ Control BPD Overincl. 4.27 0.89 Group: F(1,160) = 5.29, p =.02, η² = 0.03
Exclusion 4.60 0.72 Condition: F(1,160) = 14.23, p <.001, η² = 0.08
HC Overincl. 3.86 0.83 Group × condition: F(1,160) = 1.21, p =.27, η² = 0.01
Exclusion 4.45 0.69
NTQ Self-esteem BPD Overincl. 3.45 1.10 Group: F(1,160) = 115.31, p <.001, η² = 0.42
Exclusion 4.44 0.74 Condition: F(1,160) = 49.63, p <.001, η² = 0.24
HC Overincl. 2.00 0.76 Group × condition: F(1,160) = 0.04, p =.85, η² = 0.00
Exclusion 2.94 0.86
NTQ Meaningful existence BPD Overincl. 1.75 0.99 Group: F(1,160) = 53.46, p <.001, η² = 0.25
Exclusion 3.95 1.14 Condition: F(1,160) = 113.23, p <.001, η² = 0.41
HC Overincl. 1.23 0.57 Group × condition: F(1,160) = 15.12, p <.001, η² = 0.09
Exclusion 2.25 1.04
Ostracism Intensity BPD Overincl. 2.97 1.14 Group: F(1, 160) = 18.48, p <.001, η2=.10
Exclusion 8.57 1.91 Condition: F(1,160) = 369.96, p <.001, η2  = 0.70
HC Overincl. 2.19 0.74 Group × condition: F(1,160) = 1.97, p =.16, η2  = 0.01
Exclusion 7.02 2.01
Perceived amount of ball tosses (%) BPD Overincl. 52.61 21.88 Group: F(1, 158) = 1.35, p =.25, η² = 0.01
Exclusion 7.05 7.01 Condition: F(1, 158) = 421.28, p <.001, η² = 0.73
HC Overincl. 49.14 28.17 Group × condition: F(1, 158) = 0.80, p =.37, η² = 0.01
Exclusion 6.47 49.14
Belief Cover Story BPD Overincl. 2.22 1.03 Group: F(1,157) = 4.77, p =.03, η2  = 0.03
Exclusion 1.64 0.69 Condition: F(1,157) = 13.401, p <.001, η2  = 0.08
HC Overincl. 1.84 0.87 Group × condition: F(1,157) = 0.33, p =.57, η2  = 0.00
Exclusion 1.42 0.58

BPD borderline personality disorder, HC healthy controls, Overincl Cyberball overinclusion condition, M mean, SD standard deviation, NTQ Need Threat Questionnaire