Borderline personality disorder: symptomatology and MMPI characteristics

Using the Schedule for Interviewing Borderlines and the MMPI, 20 subjects diagnosed as borderline and/or schizotypal personality disorder were examined to determine 1) whether having one diagnosis affected the likelihood of having the other, 2) the amount of diagnostic overlap between the two diagnoses, and 3) whether different MMPI profiles could be found. The results indicated some overlap but also some differentiation between the borderline and schizotypal disorders. The modest overlap in diagnostic criteria was consistent with other studies and justifies the continued separation of the two diagnoses. The MMPI may be used as an initial screen to identify persons who warrant further evaluation for a borderline personality disorder but would not be appropriate as a screen for a schizotypal personality disorder.