Which is a core feature of borderline personality disorder?

Which is a core feature of borderline personality disorder?

• A. Splitting (all-or-nothing thinking)
• B. Delusions
• C. Avolition
• D. Hypochondriasis

Answer: (A)

Splitting, or black-and-white thinking about people and situations, is a defining pattern in borderline personality disorder. People with this condition often swing between idealizing someone and then suddenly devaluing them, especially under stress or perceived threat of abandonment. This oscillation stems from an unstable sense of self and intense fears of rejection, which makes relationships highly unstable and prone to crises. Because situations and people are seen as all good or all bad, small disappointments can trigger dramatic shifts in mood and behavior, reinforcing the cycle of chaotic relationships and rapid emotional changes. Delusions are fixed false beliefs that are typically seen in psychotic disorders, not a hallmark of BPD. Avolition refers to a marked reduction in motivation or ability to initiate or persist in goal-directed activity, which is more characteristic of schizophrenia spectrum disorders or major depressive disorder with psychomotor changes. Hypochondriasis involves excessive worry about having a serious illness, a concern that does not define borderline personality disorder.

Splitting, or black-and-white thinking about people and situations, is a defining pattern in borderline personality disorder. People with this condition often swing between idealizing someone and then suddenly devaluing them, especially under stress or perceived threat of abandonment. This oscillation stems from an unstable sense of self and intense fears of rejection, which makes relationships highly unstable and prone to crises. Because situations and people are seen as all good or all bad, small disappointments can trigger dramatic shifts in mood and behavior, reinforcing the cycle of chaotic relationships and rapid emotional changes.

Delusions are fixed false beliefs that are typically seen in psychotic disorders, not a hallmark of BPD. Avolition refers to a marked reduction in motivation or ability to initiate or persist in goal-directed activity, which is more characteristic of schizophrenia spectrum disorders or major depressive disorder with psychomotor changes. Hypochondriasis involves excessive worry about having a serious illness, a concern that does not define borderline personality disorder.