The course of dissociation for patients with borderline personality disorder and axis II comparison subjects: a 10-year follow-up study.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to assess the severity of dissociation reported by borderline patients and axis II comparison subjects over 10 years of prospective follow-up.


METHODS
The Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) - a 28-item self-report measure - was administered to 290 borderline in-patients and 72 axis II comparison subjects during their index admission. It was also re-administered at five contiguous 2-year follow-up periods.


RESULTS
The overall severity of dissociative experiences of those in both study groups decreased significantly over time but was discernibly greater in borderline patients (61% vs. 43%). The same pattern emerged for the subtypes of dissociation that were studied: absorption, depersonalization and amnesia.


CONCLUSIONS
The severity of dissociation declines significantly over time for even severely ill borderline patients. However, it remains as a recurring problem for over a third of those with DES scores that initially were in the range associated with trauma-spectrum disorders.
Zanarini
M C
MC
Laboratory for Study of Adult Development, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, USA. zanarini@mclean.harvard.edu
Frankenburg
F R
FR
Jager-Hyman
S
S
Reich
D B
DB
Fitzmaurice
G
G