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A meta-analysis of the published literature was performed to evaluate the common effect size (r) of the association between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). An online search from 1980 to 1995 was used to gather published papers. r coefficient was used as an effect size measure, and 21 studies were retrieved. A moderate pooled r (.279) for the association between CSA and BPD was observed. Pooled effect size estimates were also obtained for CSA parameters. No significant effect of moderators was evidenced. The results of this study did not support the hypothesis that CSA is a major psychological risk factor or a causal antecedent of BPD.

This study was designed to assess a three level model of personality impairment, as hypothesized by S. E. Hyler, in a non-clinical sample, according to the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire (PDQ-R) total score, and the association of this three level organization with defense styles and state psycho-pathological symptoms, administering PDQ-R, Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ-SF), and Hopkins Symptom Checklist (SCL-90) to a sample of 254 first-year medical students. Hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis, performed on the PDQ-R total score, confirmed the three-level model. The one-way multi-variate analysis of variance showed a significant (Pillai's V = .483 p >.0001) association between levels of personality impairment, and DSQ-SF and SCL-90 scales. According to 99% Bonferroni simultaneous confidence intervals, the DSQ-SF Immature Defense and all SCL-90 scale mean scores, except So-matization and Phobic Anxiety, were significantly different in all the three levels of personality impairment. The PD...

This article describes the development, the reliability, and the validity of the Personality Functioning Scale (PFS), an instrument based on the conceptual and empirical works of McGlashan and Miller (1982) and McGlashan (1984). The PFS consists of 31 items grouped into 8 domains: developmental level, aspects of the self, object relatedness, reality acceptance, fullness of experience, coping mechanisms, integrative capacity and self analytic functions. Two clinical samples (borderline personality disorder = 69; schizophrenia = 34) were used to evaluate the reliability and the validity of the PFS. The scale showed high internal consistency (.97), test-retest reliability (.90), and criterion validity (.96; .94; .98; .94; .97). The construct validity of the scale was confirmed by the results of the factor analysis. The PFS is proposed for use both in the dynamic evaluation of personality (diagnostic area) and in the evaluation of the results of psychotherapy.