Earlier Studies of the Longitudinal Course of BPD

This chapter reviews the findings of 17 small-scale prospective follow-up studies of the short-term course of BPD. It also reviews the findings of four large-scale follow-back studies of the long-term course of BPD. The results of these small-scale prospective studies have been taken to mean that most borderline patients are doing relatively poorly a mean of one to seven years after study entry. The results of these large-scale follow-back or retrospective studies, which diagnosed subjects by chart review, found that, on average, subjects were doing reasonably well a mean of 14–16 years after their index admission. The strengths and limitations of these early studies of the course of BPD will be reviewed, as well as detailed findings from each study; findings pertaining, where available, to the symptoms of BPD, co-occurring disorders, psychosocial functioning, and psychiatric treatment.