The Long-Term Course of the Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder

This chapter reports on the prevalence rates of the 24 symptoms of BPD assessed in this study; prevalence rates that are declining over time. It also reports on rates of remission of each of these symptoms and rates of recurrence following periods of remission. The 24 symptoms are divided into 12 acute symptoms (e.g., self-mutilation, suicide efforts) and 12 temperamental symptoms (e.g., chronic feelings of anger, intolerance of aloneness). It was found that acute symptoms remit more rapidly and are less likely to recur. The clinical implications of these different symptom trajectories are discussed in detail.