Related Experiment Videos
A study of impulse control in the borderline patient
Psychiatria Clinica
|January 1, 1981
Summary
Borderline patients exhibit a distinct impulse control deficit, differentiating them from those with character disorders and schizophrenia. This finding highlights a key ego function impairment in borderline personality disorder.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Ego Psychology
Background:
- Impulse control is a critical ego function.
- Deficits in impulse control are often observed in personality disorders.
- The specific nature of impulse control deficits in borderline personality disorder requires further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the ego function of impulse control in borderline patients.
- To determine if impulse control defects characterize borderline patients.
- To ascertain if impulse control defects can differentiate borderline patients from other psychiatric groups.
Main Methods:
- Comparative study design.
- Inclusion of three patient groups: borderline (n=34), schizophrenic (n=94), and character disorder (n=21).
- Assessment of ego function, specifically impulse control, within a psychiatric hospital setting.
Main Results:
- Borderline patients demonstrated an obvious defect in impulse control.
- This defect was quantitatively distinct from the impulse control observed in the character disorder group.
- The impulse control defect in borderline patients was qualitatively distinct from that in the schizophrenic group.
Conclusions:
- Impulse control is a significantly impaired ego function in borderline personality disorder.
- The pattern of impulse control deficit in borderline patients is unique compared to schizophrenia and character disorders.
- Assessing impulse control may aid in distinguishing borderline personality disorder from other psychiatric conditions.