Purpose: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a debilitating disorder that benefits from
screening and accurate diagnosis. The McLean Screening Instrument for BPD (MSI-BPD) is a
commonly used and clinically useful 10-item screening measure for BPD. In the current study
we evaluated the psychometric properties of a 21-item revised version of the MSI-BPD (the
MSI-BPD-R). Method: A mixed clinical and non-clinical sample (N= 217; 84.80% women,
Mage=21.82, SD=8.11) was recruited from a community mental health center or identified from
a mass screening of undergraduate students. Participants completed questionnaire batteries
across three studies, each of which included the MSI-BPD-R. Test-retest reliability, internal
consistency, and factor structure were examined. Results: Four underlying factors: Angry
Confrontation, Fear of Abandonment, Dysphoric Sense of Self, and Impulsive Appetitive
Behavior, captured all 21 items of the MSI-BPD-R. The MSI-BPD-R outperformed the MSI
BPD in terms of internal consistency. Conclusion: The MSI-BPD-R has strong psychometric
properties and is recommended to be used in community and clinical settings for screening
purposes.
