Factor Analysis of the DSM-III-R Borderline Personality Criteria in Psychiatric Inpatients

The goal of this study was to examine the factor structure of the DSM-III-R criteria for borderline personality disorder in young adult psychiatric inpatients. In 141 subjects, a principal components factor analysis with a varimax rotation revealed 3 homogenous factors: disturbed relatedness (unstable relationship, identity disturbance, & chronic emptiness); behavioural dyregulation (impulsivity & suicidal/self-mutilative behaviour); & affective dysregulation (affective instability, inappropriate anger & efforts to avoid abandonment). (28 refs)