A Case Report of Borderline Personality Disorder

Leong, Mei San

Abstract

This case report is about a 37-year-10-month female, AK, who presented with history of self-injurious behaviours, multiple overdose incidents, feelings of emptiness and anger, a lack of interest in all activities, and sleep disturbance. AK was initially referred for cognitive behavioural therapy by a psychiatrist. She reported symptoms consistent with borderline personality disorder. AK has not undergone a standardised psychological assessment previously. Due to the heterogeneity of borderline personality disorder and the potential of comorbidity, a thorough psychological assessment is needed for intervention planning. Psychological assessments (i.e. Beck’s Depression Inventory, Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale, Borderline Symptom List 23, and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2) and mental state examination were conducted to better understand her psycho-social, personality, and daily functioning. Following the assessments, a provisional diagnosis of borderline personality disorder comorbid with major depressive disorder was given. Several recommendations were made to help AK improve her overall well-being based on her current problems. Challenges faced in deciding the final diagnosis were discussed. This case report illustrates the importance of applying evidence-based assessments and synthesizing assessment findings in diagnosing personality disorders. Keywords: personality disorder, personality assessment, borderline personality disorder, major depressive disorder, comorbid.

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