[Prevalence and structure of borderline mental disorders in adolescent groups].

328 schoolchildren and students of 13-17 years of age were examined by clinical epidemiological method. Point prevalence of borderline mental disorders and of their separate clinical forms were compared in two groups: pupils of secondary schools (148 cases) and students of the professional technical schools (PTS) (180 individuals). General prevalence of the borderline mental disorders was equal to 58.2%. It was higher in the group of pupils of secondary schools (66.7%) as compared with PTS students (49.3%). Neurotic disorders were more frequently found in pupils, while pathology of the personality--in PTS students. As the adolescent were of the same age and were under the influence of the same biologic factors (puberty period), the conclusion is made that the main factors in the formation of these differences were related to the social and cultural conditions.