Substance abuse in borderline personality disorder: clinical and etiological correlates

Abstract

This work examines differences between female borderline patients with and without substance abuse problems and between borderline patients from different treatment settings. A total of 64 female borderline patients were recruited from mental health services (n = 34) and addiction treatment services (n = 20); 35 had a substance abuse problem. Patient groups were compared with regard to both clinical and etiological factors using multivariate analysis of variance for 47 continuous variables and logistic regression for 15 dichotomous variables. Borderline patients with substance abuse problems reported less hostility, suspicion, and anger but more anxiety, insufficiency, and suicide attempts. Patients from addiction treatment services reported less avoidant and more antisocial behavior. The differences between borderline patients with and without substance abuse problems are limited in number and size. Therefore, there is no empirical justification for the exclusion of borderline patients with substance abuse problems from general treatment services or clinical trials.