Comparison of three questionnaires to screen for borderline personality disorder in adolescents and young adults

Abstract

One of the most common personality disorders among adolescents and young adults is the Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The objective of current study was to assess three questionnaires that can reliably screen for BPD in adolescents and young adults (N = 53): The McLean Screening Instrument for BPD (MSI-BPD; Zanarini et al., 2003), the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire 4th edition - BPD scale (PDQ-4 BPD; Hyler, 1994), and the SCID-II Patient Questionnaire - BPD scale (SCID-II-PQ BPD). The nine criteria of BPD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV (DSM-IV; APA, 1994) were measured with the Structural Clinical Interview for DSM-IVAxis II disorders - BPD scale (SCID-II; First, Spitzer, Gibbon, Williams, & Benjamin, 1995). Correlations between the questionnaires and the SCID-II were calculated. In addition, the sensitivity and specificity of the questionnaires were tested. All instruments predicted the BPD diagnosis equally well.