Severity of affective temperament and maladaptive self-schemas differentiate borderline patients, bipolar patients, and controls.
OBJECTIVE
There is an unsettled debate on whether borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder should be considered related or distinct. This study aimed to further the understanding of the similarities and differences between the 2 disorders by comparing borderline patients, bipolar patients, and controls in terms of various affective temperaments and maladaptive self-schemas.


METHODS
The sample consisted of 85 participants (31 borderline patients, 25 bipolar patients and 29 student controls) who completed 2 questionnaires: The Temperament Evaluation of the Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego Autoquestionnaire and the Young Schema Questionnaire. All of the patients were in remission from affective episodes.


RESULTS
Compared to the bipolar patients and the controls, the borderline patients were characterized by significantly higher mean scores on most of the maladaptive self-schemas and affective temperaments. The bipolar patients differed significantly from controls by higher mean scores on the cyclothymic temperament and insufficient self-control.


CONCLUSIONS
The study suggests that affective temperaments and maladaptive self-schemas are more severe in borderline patients than in bipolar patients. These findings point to phenomenological differences between the 2 disorders and therefore question their degree of kinship.
Nilsson
Astrid Kristine Kahr
AK
Department of Psychology, Aarhus University, Aarhus 8000, Denmark. kahr@psy.au.dk
Jørgensen
Carsten René
CR
Straarup
Krista Nielsen
KN
Licht
Rasmus Wentzer
RW
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003718:Denmark; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D012649:Self Concept; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013694:Temperament