Predictors of suicide threats in patients with borderline personality disorder over 16 years of prospective follow-up

Despite their impact on interpersonal relationships and health resources, suicide threats are not often studied in those with borderline personality disorder (BPD). The primary aim of this study was to examine clinically relevant predictors of suicide threats in this patient group. Two-hundred and ninety inpatients meeting Revised Diagnostic Interview for Borderlines (DIB-R) and DSM-III-R criteria for BPD were assessed during their index admission using a series of semistructured interviews and a self-report measure. These subjects were then reassessed using the same instruments every 2 years for 16 years. All variables in the bivariate analyses were found to be significant. In multivariate analyses, four predictors were found to be significant: feeling abandoned and hopeless, and being demanding and manipulative. The results of this study suggest that suicide threats are often related to emotions connected with interpersonal relationships. Suicide threats may function, albeit maladaptively, to regulate these emotions aroused by interpersonal relationships and bring needed support.