An introduction to the borderline conditions

The author clarifies the many uses of the term borderline personality and offers an ego-psychological approach approach to the understanding of the borderline conditions. He focuses on diagnostic, psychodynamic and treatment issues. reference is made to four major diagnostic categories: normal-neurotic, borderline, psychotic, and narcissistic. He demonstrates that an in-depth study of a patient's ego functioning can lead to diagnostic clarity, accurate assessment and prognostic appraisal, and therefore to an informed selection psychotherapeutic conditions.