Psychological dimensions of depression in borderline personality disorder.
OBJECTIVE
The authors' goal was to test empirically a commonly held assumption that the depression in borderline personality disorder is primarily anaclitic.


METHODS
The Depressive Experiences Questionnaire and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression were administered to 26 patients with borderline personality disorder (16 of whom were depressed) and 12 depressed patients without borderline personality disorder.


RESULTS
Patients with borderline personality disorder showed more self-criticism but did not endorse more anaclitic items than depressed patients without borderline personality disorder.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that self-criticism is an underemphasized characteristic of depression in borderline personality disorder.
Southwick
S M
SM
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn., USA.
Yehuda
R
R
Giller
E L
EL
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003858:Dependency, Psychological; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006167:Guilt; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009769:Object Attachment; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013475:Superego