A comparison of hospitalized and nonhospitalized borderline patients.

The author compared 14 hospitalized borderline patients with 24 nonhospitalized patients given the same diagnosis. Twenty-nine clinical features of borderline patients were examined using the semistructured Diagnostic Interview for Borderlines. Although a few specific differences emerged in such areas as drug abuse, self-mutilation, and psychotherapy experience, both hospitalized and nonhospitalized patients manifested characteristic borderline traits of disturbed impulse-action patterns, psychotic experiences, poor regulation of affect, and disturbed interpersonal relationships. These findings are consistent with those of other studies and suggest that hospitalized and nonhospitalized borderline patients represent the same diagnostic entity.