<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><sec id="j_sjcapp-2015-005_s_001"><h3>Background:</h3><p>The validity of borderline personality disorder (BPD) has been a topic of much controversy in psychiatry. Over the last two decades, a wealth of empirical work has challenged long-held concerns regarding the validity of adolescent BPD. However, this research has been conducted within a traditional approach to psychiatric nosology.</p></sec><sec id="j_sjcapp-2015-005_s_002"><h3>Objective:</h3><p>In this article, we aim to evaluate the validity of adolescent BPD as guided by both the Robins and Guze criteria for the validity of psychiatric constructs and the new National Institute of Mental Health Research Domain Criteria (NIMH RDoC).</p></sec><sec id="j_sjcapp-2015-005_s_003"><h3>Method:</h3><p>We used the five principles of the Robins and Guze approach to evaluate selected research from our own and other groups regarding the validity of adolescent BPD. These principles include clinical description studies, laboratory studies, studies that delimitate the disorder from other related syndromes, follow-up studies, and family studies.</p></sec><sec id="j_sjcapp-2015-005_s_004"><h3>Results:</h3><p>Within the Robins and Guze criteria framework, evidence to date supports the validity of adolescent BPD to some extent. However, limitations of the research about the construct validity of adolescent BPD have also been identified, most notably regarding the delimitation of adolescent BPD from other disorders as well as a lack of longitudinal and family studies.</p></sec><sec id="j_sjcapp-2015-005_s_005"><h3>Conclusions:</h3><p>Given these limitations and the limitations of the Robins and Guze approach to psychiatric nosology, we recommend exploring the potential of the National Institute of Mental Health Research Domain Criteria as a complement to previous work.</p></sec></abstract>

Background:The validity of borderline personality disorder (BPD) has been a topic of much controversy in psychiatry. Over the last two decades, a wealth of empirical work has challenged long-held concerns regarding the validity of adolescent BPD. However, this research has been conducted within a traditional approach to psychiatric nosology.Objective:In this article, we aim to evaluate the validity of adolescent BPD as guided by both the Robins and Guze criteria for the validity of psychiatric constructs and the new National Institute of Mental Health Research Domain Criteria (NIMH RDoC).Method:We used the five principles of the Robins and Guze approach to evaluate selected research from our own and other groups regarding the validity of adolescent BPD. These principles include clinical description studies, laboratory studies, studies that delimitate the disorder from other related syndromes, follow-up studies, and family studies.Results:Within the Robins and Guze criteria framework, evidence to date supports the validity of adolescent BPD to some extent. However, limitations of the research about the construct validity of adolescent BPD have also been identified, most notably regarding the delimitation of adolescent BPD from other disorders as well as a lack of longitudinal and family studies.Conclusions:Given these limitations and the limitations of the Robins and Guze approach to psychiatric nosology, we recommend exploring the potential of the National Institute of Mental Health Research Domain Criteria as a complement to previous work.

If It Looks Like a Duck and Quacks Like a Duck: Evaluating the Validity of Borderline Personality Disorder in Adolescents

Scandinavian Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Background:The validity of borderline personality disorder (BPD) has been a topic of much controversy in psychiatry. Over the last two decades, a wealth of...

If It Looks Like a Duck and Quacks Like a Duck: Evaluating the Validity of Borderline Personality Disorder in Adolescents

Article Category: research-article

Published Online: Nov 30, 2014

Page range: 49 - 62

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21307/sjcapp-2015-005

Keywords
borderline personality disorder, adolescents, validity, developmental psychopathology

© 2015 Carla Sharp et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

If It Looks Like a Duck and Quacks Like a Duck: Evaluating the Validity of Borderline Personality Disorder in Adolescents

Article Category: research-article

Published Online: Nov 30, 2014

Page range: 49 - 62

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21307/sjcapp-2015-005

Keywordsborderline personality disorder, adolescents, validity, developmental psychopathology

© 2015 Carla Sharp et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
borderline personality disorder, adolescents, validity, developmental psychopathology