Problems Relating to Assessing and Classifying/ Diagnosing 16 to 20 Year Olds with Patterns of Impulsivity, Instability in Interpersonal Relationships, Self-Image and Affect.

Table of Contents

1 Introduction 3

1.1 Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) in 18 to 20 year olds 3

1.1.1 Problems classifying / diagnosing BPD in 18 to 20 year olds 3

1.1.2 Problems assessing / diagnosing BPD in 18 to 20 year olds 4

1.2 Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) in 16 to 18 year olds 7

1.2.1 Problems classifying / diagnosing BPD in 16 to 18 year olds 7

1.2.2 Problems assessing BPD in 16 to 18 year olds 8

2 References 11

1 Introduction

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is characterised by a pattern of instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image, affect, and marked impulsivity, according to the DSM-IV-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition). This essay is divided into a 18 to 20 age group and 16 to 18 age group due to specific problems related to the assessing and classifying / diagnosing of borderline personality disorder based on age.

1.1 Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) in 18 to 20 year olds

1.1.1 Problems classifying / diagnosing BPD in 18 to 20 year olds

Adolph Stern first proposed the term ‘borderline personality’ for patients who ‘fit frankly neither in to psychotic nor into the psychoneurotic group’ but bordered on other conditions. Kernberg (1975) introduced the term ‘borderline personality organisation’ to refer to a consistent pattern of functioning and behaviour characterised by instability and reflecting a disturbed psychological self-organisation. Gunderson and Kolb’s (1978) described the characteristics that now define borderline personality disorder and have since been included in the contemporary psychiatric classifications. According to Fyer et al. (1988a), the level of comorbidity is so great that many have suggested that borderline personality disorder should not be classified as a personality disorder. The core symptoms of borderline personality disorder fluctuate and vary more than other conditions for example suicidal ideas may be unbearable but for only a short...