BSL-23

The Borderline Symptom List 23 (BSL-23) is a self-assessment scale for recording the extent of intrapsychic stress in borderline patients. It is based on the criteria found in the DSM-IV, the Diagnostic Interview for Borderline Disorders (DIB-R), expert opinions and patient statements. It records the severity of the disorder and its changes over time.

The BSL-23 consists of three parts:

1. 23 items to assess the state of mind during the previous week
2. A visual analog scale to ascertain the current mental well-being
3. A supplementary scale (11 items) to record the extent of the current dysfunctional behavior

The 23 items were selected from the BSL-95, resulting in less patient stress and lower scoring times. The criteria for the selection of the items were to determine the sensitivity to change (14 items) and to differentiate between borderline patients and other patients (9 items).

In addition to this short form (BSL-23) there is the long form BSL-95.

Questionnaire

Screenshot of BSL-23 questionnaire for your patients.

Scoring

A total value is calculated from all 23 items. The psychological test procedure is not segmented into different scales.

Total, mean, percentile rank and overall well-being are shown.

You will receive the following scoring of the BSL-23 questionnaire in the therapists area of PsyDix.org (screenshot: BSL-23 Scoring) and it can also be downloaded, as a PDF file for your documentation.

Preview of the BSL-23 scoring as PDF to save in your documentation:

Download: BSL-23 Scoring as PDF file.

Interpretation

On the five-point Likert scale, a point value of 0 not at all, 1 a little, 2 rather, 3 much und 4 very strong.

To compare values with the long form (BSL-95), it is advisable to use the mean values.

© Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany