[Personality structure and clinical severity of borderline personality disorder].
OBJECTIVE
To correlate personality structure and clinical severity of borderline personality disorder.


METHODS
Based on data from a sample of 104 female patients with borderline personality disorder, we computed bivariate correlations and group comparisons using the scales from the Structured Interview of Personality Organization (STIPO) as well as indicators of clinical severity of the disorder (axis-II comorbidity, suicide attempts, self-destructive behaviour, service utilization).


RESULTS
Patients with a clinically more severe disorder revealed a worse level of personality structure. Specific associations between dimensions of personality structure and phenomenology were found.


CONCLUSIONS
The diagnoses of personality structure and of phenomenology complement each other and should be combined in clinical settings as well as for research purposes.
Hörz
Susanne
S
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Department Psychologie, Klinische Psychologie und Psychotherapie, Leopoldstrasse 13, D-80802 München. hoerz@psy.lmu.de
Rentrop
Michael
M
Fischer-Kern
Melitta
M
Schuster
Peter
P
Kapusta
Nestor
N
Buchheim
Peter
P
Doering
Stephan
S
D000328:Adult; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult