Brief Description
The McLean Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder (MSI-BPD) is a commonly used measure to screen for borderline personality disorder (BPD); it is based on DSM-IV BPD diagnostic criteria. The items cover various domains, including emotional instability, relationship difficulties, self-image problems, impulsivity, and self-harm behaviors. Clinicians use the MSI-BPD to assess a person for BPD, sometimes in conjunction with other screening tools. Respondents rate whether or not they have experienced the BPD symptoms listed (e.g., “Have any of your closest relationships been troubled by a lot of arguments or repeated breakups?”) on a Yes/No scale.
Assessment Administration Type
Self-report
Number of questions
10
Age Range for Administration
15+
Recommended Frequency of Administration
Screener
Summary of Scoring and Interpretations
The MSI-BPD contains 10 questions scored on a nominal scale with values from 0 (“No”) to 1 (“Yes”). A total score is calculated by summing the item responses and ranges from 0 to 10; higher scores are associated with higher levels of, or more severe, BPD symptoms. A score of 7 is generally considered a valid clinical cutoff, meaning that a score of 7 or higher indicates that a person likely meets criteria for a BPD diagnosis (note: some researchers have proposed a lower cutoff). A score of 5 or 6 indicates further evaluation for BPD is recommended, and scores of 4 or less indicate that the level of symptoms are not consistent with BPD.
Blueprint Adjustments
N/A
Clinical Considerations
Estimated completion time: 2-4 minutes
The MSI-BPD is not a diagnostic tool; it's a screening tool that helps determine the likelihood that a person has BPD. An actual diagnosis requires structured and semi-structured interviews, ideally with a clinician who offers a strong background in BPD diagnosis and treatment. As such, the MSI-BPD is just one of several tools used in the diagnostic process and should not be used alone for diagnosis.
Other assessments that are used for BPD include the Structured Clinical Interview, the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire (PDQ-4), and the Zanarini Rating Scale.
BPD is challenging to diagnose and treat, in part because it's often misdiagnosed and confused with other mental health conditions (such as bipolar disorder). In addition, BPD often exists with comorbidities and poses a significant risk of suicide which makes accurate screening tools particularly important. Once BPD is diagnosed, the clinician can develop a treatment plan to address it. This might include targeted approaches such as dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), which has been shown to be effective for people with BPD.
Citation
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