Comparison of American and Japanese outpatients with borderline personality disorder

The borderline psychopathology of 33 American and 19 Japanese female outpatients who met the Revised Diagnostic Interview for Borderlines (DIB-R) criteria for borderline personality disorder (BPD) was compared. There were significant differences between the samples in the DIB-R total score, as well as in the affect/cognition section and scaled section scores. However, only one of the 22 summary statements (SS) of the DIB-R distinguished American borderlines from Japanese borderlines. Most of the differences seemed to reflect differences in inclusion criteria. It is concluded that there are borderline patients in Japan whose psychopathology is basically identical to that of American borderline patients.