OBJECTIVE: It is commonly believed that some features of borderline personality disorder (BPD) improve as individuals reach their late 30s and 40s. This study examined age-related change in borderline criteria and functional impairment, testing the hypothesis that older age would be associated with relatively more improvement than younger age. METHOD: A total of 216 male and female participants with BPD were followed prospectively with yearly assessments over 6 years. RESULTS: Participants showed similar rates of improvement in borderline features regardless of age. A significant age by study year interaction showed functioning in older subjects to reverse direction and begin to decline in the latter part of the follow-up, in contrast to younger subjects who maintained or continued improvement over the 6 years. Despite the decline, functioning for the older subjects was comparable with or slightly better at year 6 than at year 1. CONCLUSION: Improvement in borderline features is not specific to the late 30s and 40s. There may be a reversal of improvement in functioning in some borderline patients in this older-age range.
OBJECTIVE: It is commonly believed that some features of borderline personality disorder (BPD) improve as individuals reach their late 30s and 40s. This study examined age-related change in borderline criteria and functional impairment, testing the hypothesis that older age would be associated with relatively more improvement than younger age. METHOD: A total of 216 male and female participants with BPD were followed prospectively with yearly assessments over 6 years. RESULTS:Participants showed similar rates of improvement in borderline features regardless of age. A significant age by study year interaction showed functioning in older subjects to reverse direction and begin to decline in the latter part of the follow-up, in contrast to younger subjects who maintained or continued improvement over the 6 years. Despite the decline, functioning for the older subjects was comparable with or slightly better at year 6 than at year 1. CONCLUSION: Improvement in borderline features is not specific to the late 30s and 40s. There may be a reversal of improvement in functioning in some borderline patients in this older-age range.
Authors: Mary C Zanarini; Frances R Frankenburg; John Hennen; D Bradford Reich; Kenneth R Silk Journal: Am J Psychiatry Date: 2006-05 Impact factor: 18.112
Authors: Charles A Sanislow; Carlos M Grilo; Leslie C Morey; Donna S Bender; Andrew E Skodol; John G Gunderson; M Tracie Shea; Robert L Stout; Mary C Zanarini; Thomas H McGlashan Journal: Am J Psychiatry Date: 2002-02 Impact factor: 18.112
Authors: J G Gunderson; M T Shea; A E Skodol; T H McGlashan; L C Morey; R L Stout; M C Zanarini; C M Grilo; J M Oldham; M B Keller Journal: J Pers Disord Date: 2000
Authors: M C Zanarini; A E Skodol; D Bender; R Dolan; C Sanislow; E Schaefer; L C Morey; C M Grilo; M T Shea; T H McGlashan; J G Gunderson Journal: J Pers Disord Date: 2000
Authors: M Tracie Shea; Robert Stout; John Gunderson; Leslie C Morey; Carlos M Grilo; Thomas McGlashan; Andrew E Skodol; Regina Dolan-Sewell; Ingrid Dyck; Mary C Zanarini; Martin B Keller Journal: Am J Psychiatry Date: 2002-12 Impact factor: 18.112
Authors: Carlos M Grilo; Charles A Sanislow; John G Gunderson; Maria E Pagano; Shirley Yen; Mary C Zanarini; M Tracie Shea; Andrew E Skodol; Robert L Stout; Leslie C Morey; Thomas H McGlashan Journal: J Consult Clin Psychol Date: 2004-10
Authors: John G Gunderson; Robert L Stout; Thomas H McGlashan; M Tracie Shea; Leslie C Morey; Carlos M Grilo; Mary C Zanarini; Shirley Yen; John C Markowitz; Charles Sanislow; Emily Ansell; Anthony Pinto; Andrew E Skodol Journal: Arch Gen Psychiatry Date: 2011-04-04