Prevalence and Phenomenology of Psychotic-Like Symptoms in Borderline Personality Disorders - Associations with Suicide Attempts and Use of Psychiatric Inpatient Treatment,Prävalenz und Phänomenologie fraglich psychotischer Symptome bei Borderline Persönlichkeitsstörungen:Assoziationen mit Suizidversuchen und Inanspruchnahme stationär-psychiatrischer Behandlung

BACKGROUND: Psychotic-like symptoms are found in a subgroup of borderline patients (BPD). Reported prevalence is heterogeneous (up to 50% affected). Investigations in Germany have not been conducted so far. Furthermore, the precise phenomenology of the psychotic symptoms and the effects on suicidal behavior and the use of inpatient psychiatric treatment are unclear.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to investigate prevalence rates and phenomenology of psychotic-like symptoms. Associations between the latter and suicidality as well as the use of inpatient psychiatric treatment were examined. Further influencing factors were taking into account.

METHODS: Psychotic-like symptoms were assessed with the Structured Clinical Interview-I in 95 BPD patients. To investigate the associations between psychotic-like symptoms and suicidality as well as the use of inpatient psychiatric treatment, correlation and regression analyzes were calculated, considering severity of PTSD, BPD and depression.

RESULTS: 36% of the patients reported alterations of perception and 21% delusions, both multiform and long lasting. The number of suicide attempts was associated with delusions, alterations of perception and severity of PTSD, BPS, and depression. Only delusions and severity of PTSD explained together 25.8% of the variance for the prediction of the number of suicide attempts. Age of initial hospitalization showed fewer and number of hospitalizations no associations at all.

DISCUSSION: Psychotic-like symptoms should not be trivialized, which may happen by using terms such as pseudo-hallucinations or transient paranoid ideas, and may be particularly associated with suicidal tendencies complicating the clinical course.