Boarderline Personality

The American Psychiatric Association’s (2000) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – Fourth Edition - Text Revision defined borderline personality disorder (BPD) as a pervasive pattern of problems with interpersonal relationships, perception of self, instability of manifestion of emotion and marked impulsivity (p. 706). Bipolar personality disorder is characterized by emotional tumult, psychosocial difficulties and impulsive and self destructive tendencies ( Bland, Williams, Scharer & Manning, 2004). This paper will look at the symptomology, etiology, risk of development, cultural prevalence and co-morbidity of BPD. In addition, this paper will differentiate BPD from like disorders. Biological factors, psychological factors and social/environmental factors will also be examined as to how these factors associate in the development of this disorder. Helgeland and Torgerson (2004) discussed the influence of abuse and neglect, the effect of the unpredictability and instability of an individual’s environment and parental behavior toward the predisposition of the development of BPD. Ryan (2005) reported that BDP is predisposed when an individual’s capacity for autonomy is affected by the lack of response and validation of a caregiver. Paris (2004) pointed out that BPD has early onset but tends to abate as one ages. The DSM-IV-TR (2000) reports that BPD is seen predominantly in females.

The most current treatment approaches for BPD will be addressed. Speranza and Corcos (2005) indicated that wide-ranging mental health services and multiple therapeutic approaches are needed to treat this disorder. Cognitive and dynamic psychosocial therapy has proved effective in treating BPD and there is documentation that psychopharmacological approaches have been effective in treating this disorder as well. (Paris, 2004). Other approaches will be reviewed as to their benefits in treating BPD.

BPD is an Axis II disorder and is the most frequent...