The borderline personality disorder checklist Psychometric evaluation and factorial structure in clinical and nonclinical samples

The present study examined the assessment and conceptualization of borderline personality disorder with the Borderline Personality Disorder Checklist (BPD Checklist). The BPD Checklist is a DSM-IV based self-report questionnaire, designed to assess the experienced burden of specific BPD symptoms during the previous month. The participants in the study were 140 BPD patients, 55 Cluster C personality disorder patients, 57 patients with only Axis I psychopathology, and 87 nonclinical controls. The psychometric properties of the BPD Checklist and changes during treatment were assessed. First-order confirmatory factor analyses using the BPD Checklist items on seven dimensional BPD models supported both a one-dimensional BPD model and a nine- -dimensional one, the latter based on the DSM-IV criteria. Internal consistency as well as construct, concurrent, and discriminant validity proved to be very good. Clinical norms and cutoff scores with high sensitivity and specificity were derived. The questionnaire is suitable as a screening instrument and treatment outcome measure since it proved to be sensitive to change.