What do general adult psychiatry patients think we should call borderline personality disorder? A cross-sectional study to find the most acceptable diagnostic term.

Aims and method: To determine the most acceptable term for borderline personality disorder (BPD). We conducted a cross-sectional study of patients who know what it feels like to be diagnosed with a mental disorder. The main outcome measures were the proportion of participants offended and confused by alternative terms for BPD.

Results: Seventy-two people participated in the study. Being diagnosed with a condition was more offensive than being diagnosed with a disorder (χ² = 41.18, d.f. = 1, P < 0.01). Fluxithymia offended the fewest participants (13%), but was the most confusing term (31%). Emotionally unstable personality disorder was the most offensive term (63%). After fluxithymia, emotional intensity disorder was the least offensive term, and not especially confusing (11%). Changing BPD to emotional intensity disorder would avoid an offensive event every 3.6 diagnostic announcements.

Clinical implications: The diagnostic term BPD should be replaced with emotional intensity disorder, because this term provides a balance of clarity and inoffensiveness.