title: Self-mutilation, severity of borderline psychopathology, and the Rorschach.
abstract: The authors explore borderline pathology on a continuum of functioning. Rorschach variables relating to (1) aggression, (2) dependency, (3) object relations, (4) defenses, and (5) boundary disturbance were measured across a nonclinical (NC) and two clinical (borderline patients without self-mutilative behavior = N-BPD, and borderline patients with self-mutilative behaviors = SM-BPD) groups. Results demonstrated good discriminate ability (87%) between clinical and nonclinical protocols. Comparisons between N-BPD and SM-BPD groups revealed overall greater pathological scores for the SM-BPD group, specifically in dependency scores. Convergence with other studies and implications for future clinical and empirical work are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Alliant International University California School of Professional Psychology-Sacramento, USA. mbaity@alliant.edu
authors.forename: Matthew R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Baity
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Blais
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hilsenroth
authors.forename: J Christopher
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Fowler
authors.forename: Justin R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Padawer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009769:Object Attachment; D011594:Psychometrics; D012392:Rorschach Test / Q000592:standards*; D012652:Self Mutilation / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult