Frequency of criteria-defined borderline patients among the first-visit patients at a psychiatric clinic.

Abstract

Five trained psychiatrists evaluated 330 first-visit patients aged from 12 to 30 at a psychiatric outpatient facility using the DSM-III criteria (Axis-I and Axis-II). Seven cases were diagnosed as definite Borderline Personality Disorder and six cases as definite Schizotypal Personality Disorder. Hence, we had a total of 13 criteria-defined borderline patients (3.9%). Discussions were held on some methodological problems involved in collecting information and making diagnostic judgments.