Identity disturbance in personality disorders

We explored identity disturbance and some of its correlates and antecedents in patients with personality disorder (PD) pathology. A group of inpatients who all were diagnosed as PD on self-reports were divided as those with (28 patients) and without (62 patients) identity disturbance on the basis of the DSM-III-R borderline PD identity item criterion. The division of the patients was tested and found to be valid. Both groups were compared with each other. Seventy-five percent of patients with and 34% of patients without identity disturbance received the definite interview diagnosis of PD. The syndrome of identity disturbance was encountered in basically all PD types. In contrast, half of all patients with PD presented no identity disturbance. Identity disturbance did not predispose to specific axis I disorders and suicidal behavior, and it was not correlated convincingly with childhood traumatic experiences and parental bonding scores. The results neither support the DSM conceptualization of identity disturbance as an exclusive characteristic of borderline PD, nor the Kernberg's concept of identity disturbance as an essential of borderline personality organization which should be found in almost all PD types.