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Four different models of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), each based on a different psychopathological theory, have produced manualised treatments with evidence of efficacy. It can be argued, on the grounds of the comparable results of the outcome studies, that these different treatments share a common mechanism of action related to the same psychopathological kernel of Borderline Personality Disorder, albeit the key role of this kernel in the pathogenesis of the disorder is not explicitly acknowledged in their psychopathological theories. This paper argues that such a psychopathological kernel can be described as dissociative and is caused by chronic psychological traumatisation in the developmental years and by disorganisation of infant attachment -- two common features of Borderline Personality Disorder developmental psychopathology. Following a review of the studies supporting this hypothesis, the paper dwells on the basic psychotherapy processes allegedly shared by the four different models of Borderline Personality Disorder treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]