Reasons for self-mutilation reported by borderline patients over 16 years of prospective follow-up.

The main objective of this study was to assess the reasons for episodes of self-mutilation engaged in by patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) over 16 years of prospective follow-up. Two hundred and ninety patients meeting both DIB-R and DSM-III-R criteria for BPD were interviewed every 2 years. The authors divided the borderline patients into two groups: those with a more extensive and those with a less extensive lifetime history of self-mutilation at study entry.

Predictors of self-mutilation in patients with borderline personality disorder: A 10-year follow-up study.

Background: Self-mutilation is a common and serious problem in patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD). The purpose of this study was to determine the most clinically relevant baseline and time-varying predictors of self-mutilation over 10 years of prospective follow-up among patients with BPD.

Method: Four semistructured interviews assessing axis I disorders, childhood adversity, adult experiences of abuse, and experiences of self-mutilation were administered at baseline to 290 patients meeting DIB-R and DSM-III-R criteria for BPD.