This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the SEPBA-BPD, an 18-item self-report BPD subscale designed to integrate both continuous (dimensional) and categorical (DSM-5 diagnostic) scoring, in 749 Spanish-speaking adults (community n=600, incarcerated n=149) using CFA, IRT, and convergent validity analyses.
A unidimensional model fit best (high factor-factor correlations in 2- and 3-factor models: r=.83–.89). Internal consistency was high (α=.91, ω=.92). Continuous SEPBA-BPD scores explained 39.2% of variance in personality functioning (LPFS total); categorical scores explained 32.7%—both outperforming the dichotomized IPDE-BPD (28.5%). Diagnostic agreement with the IPDE-BPD was 87.9% (κ=.57, moderate).
- No structured clinical interview was used as the gold standard; the IPDE-BPD screening questionnaire served as the convergent validity criterion. - Administration differed between community (online, self-report) and prison (in-person, supervised) subsamples, introducing procedural variability. - No test-retest reliability or sensitivity-to-change data were collected, limiting assessment of temporal stability.
The SEPBA-BPD offers clinicians a single tool that yields both a continuous severity score and a DSM-5-aligned categorical BPD diagnosis, with IRT-derived cut-offs requiring a score ≥5 on most criteria (≥4 for suicidal behavior) to flag criterion presence. Both scoring approaches predict personality functioning impairment comparably, making the scale suitable for routine triage without requiring psychometric expertise.
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