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Psychiatric Quarterly
Published in: Psychiatric Quarterly 2/2007

01-06-2007 | Original Paper

Depressive Experiences in Inpatients with Borderline Personality Disorder

Authors: Kenneth N. Levy, Ph.D., William S. Edell, Ph.D., Thomas H. McGlashan, Ph.D.

Published in: Psychiatric Quarterly | Issue 2/2007

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Abstract

We investigate the quality of dependent and self-critical depressive experiences in a hospitalized sample of depressed (n = 17), depressed borderline (n = 29), and borderline non-depressed inpatients (n = 10). Subjects were administered structured diagnostic interviews for axis I and axis II along with the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised Depression Scale (SCL-90-R-DS) and the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire (DEQ). As predicted, there were no differences between the three groups in overall level of impairment or severity of depression. Phenomenologically, however, depressive experiences were quite different. Subjects with borderline personality disorder, with and without a diagnosed depressive disorder, scored higher than subjects with depression only on the measure of anaclitic neediness. Further analyses revealed that anaclitic neediness was significantly associated with interpersonal distress, self-destructive behaviors, and impulsivity. Findings suggest the importance of considering phenomenological aspects of depression in borderline pathology.
Footnotes
1
Research with anxiety disorders has found similar findings with regard to the relationship between suicidality and impulsivity, aggression, and borderline personality disorder [95, 96]. Although initial studies suggested that individuals with panic disorder and anxiety symptoms are at increased risk for suicidality [97, 98], recent research indicates that panic disorder is not associated with suicidality in the absence of risk factors that include personality disorders, aggression, and impulsivity [95, 96]. In contrast, major depression was not a risk factor for suicidality in panic disordered patients [96].
 
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Metadata
Title
Depressive Experiences in Inpatients with Borderline Personality Disorder
Authors
Kenneth N. Levy, Ph.D.
William S. Edell, Ph.D.
Thomas H. McGlashan, Ph.D.
Publication date
01-06-2007
Published in
Psychiatric Quarterly / Issue 2/2007
Print ISSN: 0033-2720
Electronic ISSN: 1573-6709
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126-006-9033-8

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