An application of item response theory to the DSM-III-R criteria for borderline personality disorder

This paper summarizes results from analyses of the DSM criteria for borderline personality disorder (BPD) using models from item response theory (IRT). The study sample consisted of 353 participants, the majority of whom were psychiatric patients. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that a one-factor model provided the best fit to the data. All the DSM BPD criteria had moderate or higher item discrimination parameters, indicating that all items contributed meaningful information in assessing BPD. Item information functions revealed that the BPD criteria as a whole were useful for capturing BPD traits in the moderately severe to severe range, but that they performed less well in the less severe range. The general conclusion is that the criteria do represent a coherent syndrome and that further research on the informational value of the individual criteria would be useful.