OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to determine whether a history
of physical or sexual abuse is more common in children with borderline
personality disorder than in other children evaluated in the same
outpatient psychiatric clinic. METHOD: The authors contrasted rates of
abuse in 44 children diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and in
100 comparison children. RESULTS: The borderline personality disorder group
had a significantly greater prevalence of physical and combined
physical/sexual abuse. Sexual abuse rates alone did not differ
significantly between groups. CONCLUSIONS: The finding of greater abuse in
the group with borderline personality disorder supports the hypothesis that
a history of trauma is associated with the disorder.Abstract Teaser