Advanced Search

The American Journal of Psychiatry, VOL. 152, No. 2

REGULAR ARTICLES | February 01, 1995

Aspects of depression associated with borderline personality disorder

Am J Psychiatry 1995;152:268-270.

Article

text A A A

PDF of the full text article.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Shared symptoms between borderline personality disorder and depression have resulted in inherent difficulties in evaluating the relationship between these disorders. Some theorists have argued that depression in patients with borderline personality disorder is qualitatively distinct from depression in nonborderline patients. The purpose of this study was to empirically identify aspects of depression most associated with borderline personality disorder. METHOD: Through interview and self-report measures, the authors studied depression in 50 inpatients, 21 of whom had borderline personality disorder. RESULTS: The aspects of depression most associated with borderline personality disorder were self-condemnation, emptiness, abandonment fears, self- destructiveness, and hopelessness; boredom and somatic complaints exhibited no association. CONCLUSIONS: Depression associated with borderline pathology appears to be in some respects unique, as well as distinct from nonborderline depression. The study's implications delineate the importance of considering the phenomenological aspects of depression in borderline personality disorder.

Figures in this Article

Your Session has timed out. Please sign back in to continue.

Username

Password

Sign in via Athens (What is this?)

Athens is a service for single sign-on which enables access to all of an institution's subscriptions on- or off-site.

Forgot Password?

Not a subscriber?

Subscribe Now/Learn More

Purchase Online access to this article for 24 hours

PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-IV-TR® library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.

Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing PsychiatryOnline@psych.org or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).

CME Activity

There is currently no quiz available for this resource. Please click here to go to the CME page to find another.

Submit a Comments

Please read the other comments before you post yours. Contributors must reveal any conflict of interest.
Comments are moderated and will appear on the site at the discertion of JBJS editorial staff.

* = Required Field

Comment Author(s)*(if multiple authors, separate names by comma)

Example: John Doe

Affiliation & Institution*

Comment Title*

Comment*

Cancel

Topics

Product Recommendation

CME Activity