Conceptual Models of Borderline Personality Disorder, Part 1: Overview of Prevailing and Emergent Models

• Published in: The Psychiatric clinics of North America Vol. 41; no. 4; p. 535
• Main Authors: Meehan, Kevin B, Clarkin, John F, Lenzenweger, Mark F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.12.2018
• Subjects: Borderline Personality Disorder - classification; Borderline Personality Disorder - diagnosis; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; Humans; Models, Psychological; Cognitive-affective processing system model; Interpersonal model; Neural systems model; Borderline personality disorder; DSM-5 Alternative Model for Personality Disorders
• ISSN: 1558-3147
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psc.2018.08.001

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a debilitating condition with significant personal and societal costs. Throughout the history of the conceptualization of borderline pathology as a form of psychopathology, there has been debate concerning the essential attributes of this disorder, which has significant implications for its assessment and treatment. The first of this 2-part review evaluates the major approaches to conceptualizing BPD, from the traditional DSM diagnosis through the more recent Alternative Model in DSM-5, Section III, and the research domain criteria initiative of the National Institute of Mental Health that was articulated largely in response to limitations of the DSM.