BORDERLINE PERSONALITY AMONG OUTPATIENTS SEEN BY A PAIN MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST

Objective: We examined the prevalence of borderline personality disorder among a sample of outpatients who were being initially evaluated by a pain management specialist. Method: Using two self-report measures for borderline personality disorder, the borderline personality scale of the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire-4 (PDQ-4) and the Self-Harm Inventory (SHI), we explored prevalence rates of this Axis 11 disorder in a sample of 117 participants. Results: According to the PDQ-4 and the SHI, 9.4% and 14.5% of participants, respectively, met the criteria for borderline personality, with 6.8% meeting criteria on both measures. Conclusions: In this insured population of pain patients, rates of borderline personality, as determined by both measures, were comparable to rates of borderline personality in the general population. (Int'l. J. Psychiatry in Medicine 2009;39:341-344)