Patterns of self-harm behavior among women with borderline personality symptomatology: Psychiatric versus primary care samples

The current study investigated differences in self-harm behavior among indi viduals with borderline personality symptomatology from two different clini cal settings. Participants were women, between the ages of 18 and 45, from all outpatient mental health setting or a primary care setting. Each partic ipant completed the Self-Harm Inventory (SHI) and the borderline personalit y scale of the Personality Diagnostic Questionaire-Revised (PDQ-R). Using a predetermined cut-off for substantial borderline personality symptomatolog y on the SHI, group comparisons with chi(2) analyses indicated that "overdo sed" and "hit self"' were significantly more common in the mental health su bsample whereas "abused laxatives" teas significantly more common in the pr imary care subsample. Using a predetermined cut-off for borderline personal ity on the PDQ-R, chi-square analyses indicated that "overdosed" and "hit s elf" remained significantly move common in the,mental health subsample. Des pite these differences, there was remark able similarity of symptoms betwee n groups. The implications of these findings are discussed. (C) 2000 Elsevi er Science Inc.