Frequency and factors associated with borderline personality disorder in medical students

Abstract

Introduction: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a complex psychiatric condition characterized by symptoms of emotional instability and impulsive behaviors, with an estimated prevalence of 1.6% in the general population. Medical students exposed to academic stress may be at increased risk. Objective: This study aimed to identify the frequency of BPD in this group and its associated factors, considering its relevance in mental health and medical learning. Methodology: This was a descriptive observational study of prevalence and cross-association, temporally prospective, conducted in medical students of the National University of Asuncion, Paraguay, between June and July 2023. MSI-BPD was used to detect BPD. Socio-demographic and academic variables were also assessed. The analysis was performed with PSPP using statistical tests such as chi-square and Pearson's coefficient. Results: 288 medical students (mean age 24.61±1.92 years, 59.4% women) were studied. In total, 90.6% of the participants lived with their relatives. The mean academic performance was 3.61±0.43, and the mean MSI-BPD score was 4.30±2.61. A total of 21.9% presented with BPD (17.71% of women). There was an association between sex and BPD (p=0.001). Older age was associated with lower MSI-BPD scores (r=-0.132, p=0.025), while better academic performance was associated with higher scores (r=0.528, p<0,001). Conclusions: This study highlights the high frequency of BPD in medical students, its correlation with academic factors, and differences in expression according to gender, and suggests a complex interaction between the educational environment and mental health.