Comparison of self-rated and observer-rated scales in DSM-III borderline personality disorder.

The relationship of self-rated to observer-rated scales has been infrequently studied in patients with DSM-III defined borderline personality disorder. This study was designed to determine a) the amount of correlation between these two types of rating scales in borderline patients and b) whether borderline patients scored significantly higher than dysthymic controls on self or observer-rated scales. Results indicated that self-rated scale scores were higher within the borderline group. Self and observer-rated scales were highly correlated within the borderline group. Borderline patients did not differ from controls when scores of self and observer-rated scales were compared between groups. The relationship of these results to previous findings was equivocal.