Dissociation in schizophrenia and borderline personality disorder

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Dissociation is implicated in schizophrenia and borderline personality disorder (BPD).
• Empirical comparisons of dissociative symptoms between schizophrenia and BPD are limited.
• Understanding these differences is crucial for effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare dissociative and psychopathological symptoms in schizophrenia and BPD.
• To investigate the influence of antipsychotic medication on dissociative symptoms.

Main Methods:

• Assessed 31 schizophrenia patients and 36 BPD patients.
• Utilized Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES), Trauma Symptom Checklist-40 (TSC-40), and Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS).
• Measured antipsychotic medication dosage in chlorpromazine equivalents.

Main Results:

• BPD patients exhibited significantly higher scores for traumatic stress symptoms (TSC-40).
• Dissociative symptoms (DES) correlated significantly with traumatic stress (TSC-40) and overall psychopathology (HoNOS).
• Antipsychotic medication levels showed a significant correlation with DES scores, particularly depersonalization/derealization, in BPD patients.

Conclusions:

• Dissociative processes play a significant role in both schizophrenia and BPD.
• A notable relationship exists between dissociative symptoms in BPD and antipsychotic medication.