The Relationship between Personality Organization, Reflective Functioning, and Psychiatric Classification in Borderline Personality Disorder

Relationships between personality organization, reflective functioning (RF), and the number of Axis I and Axis II disorders were examined. Ninety-two female patients with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM–IV–TR) borderline personality disorder (BPD) were administered the Structured Interview of Personality Organization (STIPO), the Adult Attachment Interview for assessment of RF, and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders. Significant correlations were found between the level of personality organization and the number of Axis I and Axis II diagnoses. In contrast, no association was found between RF and the severity of Axis I and Axis II pathology. RF and level of personality organization were moderately associated. The results indicate that the concept of personality organization is related to the descriptive approach of the DSM–IV–TR. The STIPO provides a differentiated picture of the severity of personality pathology and allows diPsychoanalytic Psychology © 2010 American Psychological Association 2010, Vol. 27, No. 4, 395–409 0736-9735/10/$12.00 DOI: 10.1037/a0020862