
- Vol 33 No 7
- Volume 33
- Issue 7
Borderline or Bipolar: Objective Data Support a Difference
The Prisoner’s Dilemma reveals a clear distinction between the 2 conditions.
When a patient presents with episodes of depression, irritability, and emotional lability (especially tears and anger, with rapid changes), might he or she have borderline personality disorder (BPD)? Or could it be rapid cycling bipolar disorder (BD)? Although there are other possibilities, such as substance use, differentiating these 2 common conditions can be extremely difficult. DSM criteria have a roughly 90% overlap. Only
Indeed,
Prisoner’s Dilemma
The social psychology research tool called
If such a game is played between 2 partners, just once, the best strategy is to defect: it limits losses. But if the game is played repeatedly, the best strategy in most circumstances is called “tit-for-tat”: play cooperation first and then follow the move of your partner. If he cooperates, do likewise. When he defects, also do likewise and continue thus until he plays cooperate-then follow that move as well.
The result is a test of willingness to cooperate. When euthymic bipolar patients played (ostensibly with another person, though the actual partner was a computer), they made choices very like control patients, choosing to cooperate almost 75% of the time. But patients with BPD cooperated only about 50% of the time (analysis of variance difference, P = .03).
This is not a clinical tool: first of all, separation between the 2 groups was far from 100%. Second, iterative games of Prisoner’s Dilemma are not easily administered, even by computer. The point of this research is that an objectively measurable difference between BD and BPD was evident. Conclusions: (1) these 2 conditions are not variations within a species-they are different (though perhaps related) animals; and (2) the difference observed mirrors what we see clinically, namely an impairment in relationship.
Some might regard this as another instance in which social psychology goes to great lengths to prove an accepted observation (as remarked
When one sits down with a patient and within 5 minutes is aware of something odd going on-excessive praise or an unwarranted devaluation or simply a sort of “latching on”-these feelings are data. Something is amiss in the social exchange. For example, you play Cooperate, he plays Defect, even after several overtures. In this context, your clinical hunch has been supported: BD may or may not be present, but the probability of borderlinity has gone up.
Acknowledgment-Thanks to our esteemed Samaritan Health Services librarian Ken Willer for access to articles like this.*
This article was originally posted on 4/12/2016 and has since been updated.
Disclosures:
Dr Phelps is Director of the Mood Disorders Program at Samaritan Mental Health in Corvallis, OR. He is the Bipolar Disorder Section Editor for Psychiatric Times.
References:
1. Phelps J. Bipolar Disorder and “Borderline Personality Disorder.” Updated 2013.
2. Deltito J, Martin L, Riefkohl J, et al.
3. Saunders KE, Goodwin GM, Rogers RD.
4. Prisoner’s Dilemma.
5. Fite W. The human soul and the scientific prepossession. The Atlantic Monthly. 1918;122:800.
Articles in this issue
about 9 years ago
Powerful Stories-Winners of Our Writer’s Contestabout 9 years ago
The Mirrorabout 9 years ago
Preconceived Notionsabout 9 years ago
Foster Careabout 9 years ago
Discussing and Assessing Capacity for Sexual Consentabout 9 years ago
Recognizing and Treating Victims and Survivors of Human Traffickingabout 9 years ago
Vaginismus: “Gone” But Not Forgottenabout 9 years ago
Pedophilia: Interventions That Workabout 9 years ago
Soul and Soma: Let’s Drink (Tea) to That!Newsletter
Receive trusted psychiatric news, expert analysis, and clinical insights — subscribe today to support your practice and your patients.