Skip to main content
Log in

Borderline personality development in childhood and its relationship to neurocognitive deficits

  • Articles
  • Published:
Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between childhood disturbances indentified as borderline and deficits in the child's neurocognitive apparatus. The common indications of failures in primary autonomous ego apparatus in the borderline conditions are discussed and compared to the problems of the “learning disabled” child. Professional opinions and research of both conditions are reviewed. Developmental and dynamic considerations are presented to suggest a direct association between the presence of learning disabilities and psychiatric disorders in children.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andrulonis et al. Organic brain dysfunction and the borderline syndrome.Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 1980,4(1), 47–66.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ayres, J.Sensory integration and learning disorders. Los Angeles: Western Psychological Services, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bender, L. Schizophrenia in childhood — recognition, description, and treatment.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1956,26.

  • Bergman, P. & Escalona, S. Unusual sensitivity in very young children.Psychoanalytic Study of the Child, 1949,3/4.

  • Brody, S. The concept of attachment and bonding.Journal of the American Psychological Association, 1981,26.

  • Bush, & Waugh.Diagnosing learning disabilities. Columbus, Ohio: Charles Merrill, 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cantwell, M. & Baker. Psychiatric disorders in children with speech and language retardation.Archives of General Psychiatry, 1977,34.

  • Chethic, M. The borderline child. In J.D. Noshpitz (ED.),Basic Handbook of Child Psychiatry. New York: Basic Books, 1980, pp. 304–320.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen et al. Primary childhood aphasia and childhood autism: Clinical biological and conceptual observations.Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry 1976,15, 604–645.

    Google Scholar 

  • DMS-III, Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 3rd ed. Washington: American Psychiatric Association, 1980.

  • Duane, D.D. Development dyslexia: Etiologic theories and therapeutic implications.Psychiatric Annals, 1977,7, 37–47.

    Google Scholar 

  • Escalona, S. Patterns of infantile experience and the developmental process.Psychoanalytic Study of the Child, 1963,18, 243.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freedman, D.A. The effect of sensory and other deficits in children on their experience of people.Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 1981,29.

  • Frijling-Schreuder, E.C. Borderline states in children.Psychoanalytic Study of the Child, 1969,24.

  • Kahn, M.R. The concept of cumulative trauma.Psychoanalytic Study of the Child, 1969,18.

  • Kernberg, O. Borderline personality organization.Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 1967,15.

  • Kety, S.S. The biological bases of mental illness. In Bernstein (Ed.),Clinical Psychopharmacology. Littleton, MA: Psg Publishing Co., 1978, pp. 1–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kohut, H.,The Analysis of the Self. New York: International Universities Press 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kohut, H.The restoration of the self. New York: International Universities Press, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lerner, J.W.Children with learning disabilities, 2nd ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1971.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahler, M.S.On human symbiosis and the vicissitudes of individuation. New York: International Universities Press, 1968.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murray, M.E. Minimal brain dysfunction and borderline personality adjustment.American Journal of Psychotherapy, 1979,33.

  • Ornitz, E.M. and Ritvo, E. The syndrome of autism: A critical review.American Journal of Psychiatry, 1976,133.

  • Palombo, J. Perceptual deficits and self-esteem in adolescence.Clinical Social Work Journal, 1979,7.

  • Palombo, J. A critical review of the concept of the borderline child.Clinical Social Work Journal, 1982,10.

  • Pine, F. The concept of “borderline” in children: A clinical essay.Psychoanalytic Study of Child, 1974,29.

  • Ribble, M.The rights of infants. New York: Columbia University Press, 1943.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rie, E.E. and Yeh, J.W., “Block Design and Neuro-Cognitive Impairment in Children.Journal of Learning Disabilities, 198215, 28–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rimland, B.Infantile autism New York: Appleton-Century Crofts, 1964.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenfeld, S. & Sprince, M. An attempt to formulate the meaning of the concept “borderline”.Psychoanalytic Study of the Child, 1963,18, 603.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shapiro et al.Gilles de la Tourette syndrome. New York: Raven Press, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  • Silver, L.B. A proposed view of the etiology of the neurological learning disabilities syndrome.Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1971,4.

  • Silver, L.B. “Children with Perceptual and Other Learning Problems,” In J.D. Noshpitz (Ed)Basic Handbook of Child Psychiatry. New York, Basic Books, 1980. pp. 605–614.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spitz, R.A. The psychogenic disease in infancy: An attempt at their etiology classification.Psychoanalytic Study of the Child, 1951,6, 225.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spitz, R.A. Hospitalism: An inquiry into the genesis of psychiatric conditions in early childhood.Psychoanalytic Study of the Child, 1945,1, 53–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spitz, R.A. Hospitalism: A follow-up report.Psychoanalytic Study of the Child, 19462, 113–117

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, A. & Chess, S.Temperament and development. New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weil, A.P. Maturational variations and genetic-dynamic issues.Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 1978,26, 461–492.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weil, A.P. Children with minimal brain dysfunction: Diagnostic and therapeutic considerationa. In Sapir & Nitzburg (Eds.).Children with learning problems. New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1973, pp. 551–568.

    Google Scholar 

  • Winokur, G. Heredity in the affective disorders. In Anthony and Benedek (Eds.),Depression and human existence. Boston: Little Brown Co., 1975, pp. 7–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolpert, E.A. Manic-depressive illness as an actual neurosis. In Anthony and Benedeck (Eds.),Depression and human existence. Boston: Little Brown Co., 1975, pp. 199–222.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Consultant at Dysfunctioning Child Centre, Michael Reese Medical Center, and in Private Practice.

Judith Feigon, is a staff menber at Dysfunctioning Child Centre, Michael Reese Medical Center

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Palombo, J., Feigon, J. Borderline personality development in childhood and its relationship to neurocognitive deficits. Child Adolesc Soc Work J 1, 18–33 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00844568

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00844568

Keywords

Navigation