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Characterizing somatization, hypochondriasis, and hysteria in the borderline personality disorder
Author(s) -
Snyder S.,
Pitts W. M.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1986.tb02689.x
Subject(s) - hysteria , minnesota multiphasic personality inventory , somatization disorder , borderline personality disorder , somatization , psychology , dysthymic disorder , clinical psychology , personality , psychiatry , rating scale , depression (economics) , major depressive disorder , anxiety , developmental psychology , mood , social psychology , economics , macroeconomics
Somatization, hypochondriasis, and hysteria have often been considered as associated features of the borderline personality disorder. This study was designed to characterize these three syndromes in the borderline patient. Inpatients with DSM‐III borderline personality disorder were compared with controls with dysthymic disorder. Scales and items from standardized rating instruments which measured the three syndromes were scored and compared between groups. Although the hysteria‐obvious and hypochondriasis scales of the MMPI and the Hamilton Depression Scale item measuring hypochondriasis were elevated in the borderline group, there were no significant differences between groups. Scores of dysthymic patients significantly exceeded those of borderline patients on four of five MMPI codetypes measuring the three syndromes. Findings are discussed in light of previous psychodynamic, empirical, and research literature.