medtests.de · Borderline traits

Borderline Test

This self-test uses the MSI-BPD, the McLean Screening Instrument for borderline personality disorder: 10 yes/no questions about longer-term patterns in relationships, emotions, impulsivity, and self-image. It's a screening with clear limits, not a label.

McLean Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder (MSI-BPD)

Please answer each of the 10 questions with Yes or No. Think about your experience over a longer stretch of time, not just the last few days.

10 questions~2 minanonymous, scored in your browsernot a diagnosis

What does the MSI-BPD measure?

The ten questions map onto the diagnostic criteria for borderline personality disorder: turbulent close relationships, self-harm or suicide attempts, impulsivity in at least two areas, intense mood swings, strong anger, distrust, feelings of unreality, chronic emptiness, an unstable sense of who you are, and desperate efforts to avoid being abandoned. Seven or more yes answers is the validated screening cutoff. The questions refer to your experience over a longer stretch of time, not just the past few days.

What does the result mean?

A positive screen is not a diagnosis, and it's definitely not a verdict on your character. Several of these patterns also show up with trauma histories, ADHD, and depression, and only a structured clinical interview can tell them apart. What the result gives you is a clear, undramatic reason to seek that conversation. Borderline patterns are far more treatable than their reputation suggests; dialectical behavior therapy and related approaches have solid evidence behind them.

If you are hurting yourself or thinking about it

If self-harm or suicidal thoughts are part of your reality right now, please reach out sooner rather than later. In the US, call or text 988. In the UK, Samaritans: 116 123. In Germany, TelefonSeelsorge: 0800 111 0 111, free and anonymous. If you're in immediate danger, call your local emergency number.

Source

Zanarini MC, Vujanovic AA, Parachini EA, et al. A Screening Measure for BPD: The McLean Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder (MSI-BPD). Journal of Personality Disorders, 2003.

Frequently asked questions

At what score is the borderline screen positive?

Seven or more yes answers out of ten is the established threshold. It is a signal, not a diagnosis, and not a verdict about your character.

Are borderline patterns treatable?

Yes, far more than their reputation suggests. Dialectical behavior therapy and related approaches have solid evidence behind them.

Scoring: what your points mean

ScoreLevelWhat it means
0-4 below the cutoff below the screening cutoff (7).
5-6 near the cutoff near the screening cutoff.
7-10 at or above the cutoff at or above the cutoff (7). Not proof, professional evaluation recommended.

The screening cutoff comes from the questionnaire; the finer gradation is editorial orientation. Not a diagnosis.

i
Reviewed by our editorial team

Instrument, scientific basis, and limitations checked. Last updated July 2026. Independent, anonymous, not a diagnosis.

After the test

A borderline traits result is a signal, not a verdict. Note what stood out and use it as a starting point for a conversation with a medical or mental-health professional.

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