Prevalence of symptoms of borderline personality disorder and its correlations with different variables among Chinese university students: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Among young adults, borderline personality disorder (BPD) is prevalent. Its incidence among university students varied widely, according to related studies. Few studies have investigated BPD symptoms and their relationships to diverse factors in a Chinese community. Methods: A sample of Chinese university students was subjected to a cross-sectional online survey from November 2021 to January 2022. Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder (SI-Bord), Experience in Close Relationships-Revised 18-item Version (ECR-R-18), Meaning In Life Questionnaire (MLQ), Resilience Inventory (RI-9), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), Patient Health Questionnaire h (PHQ-9), Perceived Stress Scale 10-item version (PSS-10) and sociodemographic questionnaires were completed. Pearson’s correlation methods were used to analyze the data. Results: The average age of the 767 participants was 20.33, and 53.5% were men. A cut-off score >7 on the SI-Bord indicated the presence of BPD symptoms in 17.5% of subjects. With a significant correlation of 0.473, 0.180, -0.148, -0.388, -0.238, 0.48, and 0.451, respectively, attachment anxiety, avoidance, meaning in life, self-esteem, resilience, perceived stress and depression were strongly linked with BPD symptoms. Conclusion: The high prevalence of BPD symptoms and their significant correlation with mental health outcomes among Chinese university students suggest that early identification of BPD symptoms is essential for this population.