Which statement best describes features commonly seen in borderline personality disorder?

Which statement best describes features commonly seen in borderline personality disorder?

• A. Individuals with BPD have stable self-identity.
• B. Splitting behaviours are common.
• C. They have no fear of abandonment.
• D. They always maintain calm, even mood.

Answer: (C)

Splitting is a common feature of borderline personality disorder, where people view others and situations in all-or-nothing terms and swing rapidly between idealizing and devaluing them. This leads to unstable relationships and intense emotional reactions as perceptions of people change quickly. Other hallmark features include an unstable self-image, a persistent fear of abandonment, and mood swings, so statements claiming stable self-identity, no fear of abandonment, or a constant calm mood don’t fit. Splitting captures a recognizable pattern clinicians see in BPD, making it the best description among the options.

Splitting is a common feature of borderline personality disorder, where people view others and situations in all-or-nothing terms and swing rapidly between idealizing and devaluing them. This leads to unstable relationships and intense emotional reactions as perceptions of people change quickly. Other hallmark features include an unstable self-image, a persistent fear of abandonment, and mood swings, so statements claiming stable self-identity, no fear of abandonment, or a constant calm mood don’t fit. Splitting captures a recognizable pattern clinicians see in BPD, making it the best description among the options.