Borderline Personality Disorder and Gender

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe psychiatric disorder marked by dysfunction across cognitive, affective, behavioral, and interpersonal domains. Individuals with BPD are disproportionately represented in inpatient psychiatric settings, and it has been estimated that nearly 10% complete suicide. Since its introduction in the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III), BPD has often been reported to have a prevalence in females, leading to a heightened empirical focus in women. This entry reviews theoretical perspectives and empirical evidence concerning the relation between gender and BPD with regard to prevalence, comorbidity, [Page 244]presentation, etiology, and gender bias. The entry concludes with a discussion of future directions for research.