Co-Medical Director / Founding Member
Dr. Ehab Abdallah is the Managing Partner and MD Psychiatrist at Legacy Recovery Center bringing a wealth of expertise to his role. He obtained his medical degree from Alexandria University in Egypt and completed his residency in psychiatry at West Virginia University. Dr. Abdallah is triple board-certified in General Psychiatry, Consultation-Liaison (Psychosomatic) Psychiatry, and Addiction Psychiatry and Medicine.
With a specialized focus on addiction medicine, Dr. Abdallah has extensive experience treating individuals facing complex medical and psychiatric conditions. His dedication to high-quality care and genuine commitment to his patients’ well-being make him an invaluable member of the team.
In addition, Dr. Abdallah is a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and serves as a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Arizona, where he educates and mentors medical students and residents.
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a mental health condition characterized by instability of self‐image and a pattern of intense emotions, impulsive actions, and unstable relationships. If you or a loved one have these symptoms, it’s normal to want to check and see if you have BPD [1].
There are several online self-report screening tests, to be used only for informational purposes. They are not diagnoses. The McLean Screening Instrument for BPD (MSY-BPD) [2] [3] is one of the most common. Psychology Today has published another test [4].
While primary care doctors may use screening tools for BPD, a single, definitive personality disorder test does not exist. Instead, clinicians diagnose BPD and personality disorders through a thorough assessment that emphasizes difficulties over time, and not simply a one-time test [5].
So online tests are to be used only as an initial guideline to indicate if you should seek a formal diagnosis from a qualified doctor or psychiatrist.
What a Borderline Personality Disorder Test Measures
A BPD test, whether taken online or administered by a professional, is designed to screen for the presence of the nine core symptoms outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), the standard classification manual used by mental health professionals in the US.
Diagnostic Criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder
To receive a diagnosis of BPD, a person must typically show a persistent pattern of at least five of these nine symptoms. The test measures behaviors, feelings, and thought patterns related to these criteria [1].
- Frantic Efforts to Avoid Real or Imagined Abandonment: This isn’t just about being upset when a relationship ends. It involves extreme reactions(like panic, anger, or begging) to even the thought of being left alone.
- A Pattern of Unstable and Intense Interpersonal Relationships: Relationships often swing between idealization (“you’re perfect!”) and devaluation (“you’re terrible!”). This is called “splitting”
- Identity Disturbance: A markedly and persistently unstable self-image or sense of self. Goals, values, career plans, and even friendships can shift rapidly and dramatically.
- Impulsivity in at Least Two Areas That Are Self-Damaging: This could include reckless spending, substance abuse, reckless driving, binge eating, or unsafe sex.
- Recurrent Suicidal Behavior, Gestures, Threats, or Self-harming Behavior: This is a core and serious symptom. It includes suicidal ideation, non-suicidal self-injury (like cutting or burning), or making threats.
- Affective Instability Due to a Marked Reactivity of Mood: Intense, short-lived emotional episodes (like irritability, anxiety, or despair) that can last from a few hours to a few days. Moods can shift very rapidly.
- Chronic Feelings of Emptiness: A persistent feeling of being hollow, bored, or unfulfilled.
- Inappropriate, Intense Anger or Difficulty Controlling Anger: This can manifest as frequent temper outbursts, constant anger, or physical fights. The anger is often disproportionate to the situation.
- Transient, Stress-Related Thoughts or Severe Dissociative Symptoms: Under stress, a person may experience paranoid thoughts (e.g., feeling suspicious of others) or feel disconnected from themselves or reality (derealization/depersonalization).
Online vs Professional Tests for BPD:
Online tests are usually short, self-reported quizzes like the McLean test. They are an informational starting point with a general indication of whether your symptoms align with BPD.
A single, definitive personality disorder test does not exist. To help diagnose BPD and personality disorders, doctors or psychiatrists may use screening tools for BPD, including, but not limited to:
- McLean Screening Instrument for BPD (MSI-BPD)
- Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire 4th edition—BPD Scale
- Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Personality Disorders -Patient Questionnaire—BPD Scale (SCID-II-PQ BPD)
Clinicians diagnose BPD and personality disorders with a thorough assessment that emphasizes difficulties over time, and not simply a single point-in-time presentation. This is a much more in-depth process that explores the history, duration, context, and severity of your symptoms.
Next Steps After Taking An Online Test
Your next steps depend largely on the results and your feelings about them
If Your Score Suggests a Low Likelihood of BPD:
Trust the result, but listen to yourself. If you are still struggling with your emotions, relationships, or self-image, then your distress is real and valid.
Still consider talking with a professional. You might be dealing with depression, anxiety, or complex PTSD. Or you might just be going through a very hard time. A therapist can help you understand what you’re experiencing, even if it’s not BPD.
If Your Score Suggests a High Likelihood of BPD:
A high score is a signal but not a diagnosis. It is validating your experience. So don’t panic, as BPD is a treatable condition.
Online BPD tests are helpful for self-reflection and initial symptom awareness, but only a qualified clinician can diagnose and guide you toward treatment.
Make an appointment with a mental health professional. This is your critical next step.
Look for a psychiatrist, a psychologist, or a licensed therapist with training and experience in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mentalization Therapy, Transference-Focused Psychotherapy, or Schema Therapy. These are the most common recommended therapy approaches for DBT.
Prepare for your first session by writing down your symptoms, how long you’ve experienced them, and how they affect your daily life, work, and relationships. Bring your test results.
Assessment may involve structured interviews (e.g., SCID-5-PD), self-report symptom scales, and review of your history and current challenges.
Be open and honest during the assessment. Diagnosing BPD is complex because it overlaps with other conditions like bipolar disorder, depression, complex PTSD, or other personality disorders. An accurate diagnosis depends on your honesty.
If You Receive a Diagnosis of BPD
It may be overwhelming at first, but a diagnosis is the right step on your path to recovery.
Learn about BPD from organizations such as the National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder (NEABPD).
Explore Evidence-Based Treatments:
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): DBT was developed as a treatment specifically for BPD. It teaches skills to manage intense emotions, reduce self-destructive behaviors, and improve relationships through mindfulness and distress tolerance.
- Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT): Helps improve your ability to understand your own and others’ mental states.
- Transference-Focused Psychotherapy (TFP): It uses the relationship between you and your therapist to understand emotional patterns.
- Schema-Focused Therapy: It identifies and changes deep-rooted, self-defeating life patterns (schemas).
Build a Support System: Support groups for people with BPD or for their loved ones can be very helpful with others who understand.
Discuss Medication: There is no medication specifically for BPD. A psychiatrist may prescribe medications to manage symptoms such as depression, mood swings, or anxiety.
If You Are in Crisis
If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide, self-harm, or are in immediate distress, reach out for help immediately.
- Dial or text 988 in the US and Canada to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
- Text “HOME” to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.
- Go to your nearest emergency room or call your local emergency number.
Taking an online test is a brave first step in understanding your mental health. Whatever the result, let it guide you toward the professional support you deserve.
Get Expert Help at Legacy Recovery Center
Legacy Recovery Center is a highly rated, premier addiction and mental health treatment center in Arizona. Legacy is owned and operated by two psychiatrists with over 40 years of combined experience, as well as a robust therapeutic team.
We’re unique among residential treatment centers thanks to our ability to help people suffering from mental health and/or substance abuse issues. Our expert psychiatric team is equipped to treat multiple issues concurrently, focusing on your specific needs. Contact us today to being your journey!
Sources
[1] Leichsenring, F .et al (2024). Borderline personality disorder: a comprehensive review of diagnosis and clinical presentation, etiology, treatment, and current controversies. World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA), 23(1), 4–25.
[2] MacLean Screening Instrument for BPD.
[3] Semaan F, Croarkin PE. 2025. The McLean Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder: A Review. J Psychiatr Pract. 2025 Jan 1;31(1):20-23.
[4] Psychology Today. nd. Borderline Personality Disorder Test.
[5] CAMH. nd. Personality Disorders: Screening & Assessment.
