title: Gender Differences in Borderline Personality Disorder Features in an Epidemiological Sample of Adults Age 55-64: Self Versus Informant Report.
abstract: The literature on the prevalence of borderline personality disorder (BPD) across gender reveals multiple trends. A number of studies indicate that women have a higher prevalence. Others indicate no difference, and a few even reveal that men have a higher prevalence. Yet existing studies are plagued by sampling biases, use mainly self-reported information, and tend to report general prevalence of BPD categorically defined. The current investigation attempted to shed new light on this literature by analyzing BPD features dimensionally in a representative epidemiological sample of adults ages 55-64, using both self- and informant-reported perspectives. Data from the St. Louis Personality and Aging Network study revealed a significant interaction across gender and perspective, F(1, 1360) = 23.46, p < .01. Gender differences were found for self-report only, such that men reported greater BPD severity. Meanwhile, informant report indicated no gender difference. Trends underscore the importance of epidemiological sampling and multiple assessment perspectives when analyzing BPD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station.
authors.forename: Alexander J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Busch
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Balsis
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station.
authors.forename: Leslie C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Morey
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Thomas F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Oltmanns
mesh_terms: D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008923:Missouri / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D057566:Self Report; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors