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Borderline personality disorder in late life
1Positive Aging Services, Massachusetts Mental Health Center, Boston.
International Psychogeriatrics
|January 1, 1991
Summary
This study found that standard diagnostic tools failed to identify elderly patients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). However, the research identified key changes in BPD presentation in late life.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Psychiatry
- Psychopathology
Background:
- Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a complex mental health condition.
- Diagnostic criteria for BPD may not adequately capture its presentation in elderly populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the diagnostic accuracy of DIB-R and DSM-III-R criteria for BPD in elderly patients.
- To identify changes in BPD symptomatology in late life.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective chart review of eight elderly patients diagnosed with BPD by a geriatric team.
- Comparison with a matched non-borderline control group.
- Evaluation of diagnostic compliance with DIB-R and DSM-III-R criteria.
Main Results:
- Neither the DIB-R nor DSM-III-R criteria identified any of the clinically diagnosed elderly BPD patients.
- The study highlighted two significant areas of change in BPD manifestation in older adults.
Conclusions:
- Current diagnostic instruments may be insufficient for diagnosing BPD in the elderly.
- BPD exhibits distinct characteristics and changes in presentation during late life.