Borderline Personality Disorder Test: Screen Traits Behind the Nine BPD Criteria
This free BPD test screens for borderline personality traits with questions adapted from the MSI-BPD. You get an instant score and explanation to support reflection and a conversation with a clinician.
Reviewed by Michael Callans, MSW 
Borderline Personality Disorder Test is a free, confidential 10-question self-assessment, informed by the validated MSI-BPD. It takes about 8 minutes, runs entirely in your browser, and gives you a plain-language score across 2 interpretation bands plus an optional in-depth report. It is an educational screening, not a diagnosis.
The nine features clinicians look at, in plain language
Borderline personality disorder involves persistent difficulties with emotions, relationships, self-image, and impulsive behavior. This BPD screening asks about related experiences across the clinical criteria. It can help you describe concerns to a clinician, while keeping the distinction between recognizing traits and receiving a diagnosis clear.
The DSM borderline criteria
The nine features that define BPD: fear of abandonment, unstable relationships, identity disturbance, impulsivity, self-harm or suicidal behavior, mood swings, emptiness, intense anger, and stress-related paranoia or dissociation.
Brief, validated screen
Ten questions adapted from the MSI-BPD ask about borderline features that may warrant fuller assessment. The original instrument was validated; this page changes wording and adds uncertainty and skip responses, so its accuracy cannot be assumed to match the original study.
A treatable, human picture
Psychotherapy is the main treatment for BPD, and DBT is an established approach that teaches skills for managing emotions and relationships. A clinician can discuss suitable options with you. This result supports that conversation without predicting your treatment outcome or defining your identity.
| Feature | Typical free quiz | Psychology.com |
|---|---|---|
| Maps to all 9 DSM criteria | Rarely | Yes, all nine |
| Based on a validated screen (MSI-BPD) | Sometimes | Yes, faithful to the items |
| Research-based cutoff explained | No | Yes (7+ warrants assessment) |
| Non-labeling, trait-aware language | Often labels you | Yes, screening not diagnosis |
| Points to effective treatment (DBT) | No | Yes |
| Clinician-reviewed interpretation | Rarely | Yes, clinician reviewed |
| Confidential (no data sent) | Often tracked | Runs in your browser |
How scoring works
Answers are scored 0–10 in total. Your result falls into one of 2 bands:
| Score | Band | What it suggests |
|---|---|---|
| 0–6 | Below the screening threshold | You recognized fewer than seven of the borderline features this screen measures, which is below the threshold researchers use to flag a likely benefit from a full assessment. |
| 7–10 | Above the screening threshold | You recognized seven or more of the borderline features this screen measures. In the validation research, this is the point where a full professional assessment is most likely to be worthwhile. |
Do I have BPD?
This BPD test screens for experiences associated with borderline personality disorder; a quiz cannot tell you whether you have the condition. It can help you notice patterns worth discussing, such as intense emotions, fear of abandonment, an unstable sense of self, or relationships that feel difficult to keep steady. Recognizing these experiences does not establish a diagnosis or define who you are.
This BPD quiz is an educational screening informed by the MSI-BPD. A clinician considers your history, how long patterns have lasted, their effect on daily life, and other possible explanations. Stress and trauma can complicate that picture. A Complex PTSD Test (C-PTSD) or Dissociative Disorder Test can help you describe related experiences, but cannot distinguish conditions for you.
Bring examples and questions to a licensed clinician, including whether DBT might help. The Psychology.com therapist directory can help you find a clinician experienced with personality disorders and emotion regulation. If you feel unsafe or face a crisis, call or text 988 in the US.
How the MSI-BPD screening is scored
This BPD test has 10 yes or no questions, one for each pattern the MSI-BPD was built to catch. Every yes counts as one point, so your score runs from 0 to 10. There is no separate scoring for individual criteria; the total is what the validation research is based on.
In the original validation study, a cutoff of seven or more positive answers correctly identified about 81 percent of people who had BPD, sensitivity, and correctly ruled out about 85 percent of those who did not, specificity. This page uses 7 as a prompt to consider evaluation, with an important limit: those accuracy figures describe the original MSI-BPD in its study sample, not this adapted online questionnaire. A score of 10 does not confirm BPD, and a particular pattern of answers does not establish a subtype.
On this page, "I'm not sure" and "Prefer not to say" do not add to the total. They should not be interpreted as evidence that a feature is absent. If you used those options because a question felt confusing or difficult to answer, mention that during an assessment. The score is also not a measure of immediate safety; seek help for current self-harm concerns regardless of the total.
If you searched for a BPD radar test, keep the display separate from the evidence behind the questionnaire. This page reports a screening total, not a radar chart. A chart's shape cannot establish a BPD subtype, and a visually prominent trait cannot show its clinical severity without information about frequency, context, and its effect on daily life.
Borderline test vs a clinical diagnosis
A borderline personality disorder test like this one is a screening tool. A diagnosis is different: it requires a licensed clinician to review your history, how long patterns have lasted, generally starting by early adulthood, how much they affect daily functioning, and whether another condition, such as PTSD, bipolar disorder, or ADHD, explains the picture better.
That is true of every free BPD test available online, not just this one. No online quiz, however carefully built, replaces that structured evaluation. The Emotional Dysregulation Test and the Rejection Sensitivity (RSD) Test look at related pieces of this experience, mood swings and fear of rejection, and can help you describe what you are noticing with more precision before an appointment.
If you want to start building coping skills now, before or alongside a formal evaluation, the DBT Skills Hub walks through core techniques, and the Safety Plan tool can help you prepare a personal plan if thoughts of self-harm come up.
Prepare examples of what happens during conflict, how your emotions change, and how these experiences affect daily responsibilities. Tell the clinician when the pattern began and about relevant medical history or previous care. The tests hub can help you locate related self-assessments, but repeated quizzes cannot resolve overlapping symptoms or substitute for a clinical interview.
You can also ask what an assessment will involve, which other explanations the clinician will consider, and how you will agree on next steps. NIMH describes diagnosis as a thorough discussion of symptoms and personal and family history; a medical examination may help rule out other causes. Sharing uncertainty about your answers is useful information, not a reason to postpone support.
Methodology & sources
The ten questions are modeled on the McLean Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder (MSI-BPD), developed by Zanarini and colleagues as a brief screen built around the nine DSM diagnostic criteria for BPD. Each item is reworded to stay faithful to the original meaning while reading in plain, non-clinical language. In the validation study, a cutoff of seven or more positive answers best balanced sensitivity and specificity for identifying people who may meet criteria and would benefit from a full diagnostic evaluation.
This test is provided for education and self-reflection. A screening cannot diagnose a personality disorder. Many of these experiences, such as fear of abandonment or strong emotions, exist on a continuum and show up in people without BPD, especially during stressful or painful periods. Only a trained clinician can assess BPD, through interview and history over time. We deliberately frame results around traits and next steps rather than identity.
The validation evidence cited here belongs to the original MSI-BPD developed by Zanarini and colleagues. Rewording questions and adding response options changes how people may answer, so the original sensitivity and specificity should not be presented as the measured accuracy of this adaptation. Those statistics also do not tell an individual reader the probability that their result is correct.
References
- Zanarini MC, Vujanovic AA, Parachini EA, Boulanger JL, Frankenburg FR, Hennen J. A screening measure for BPD: The McLean Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder (MSI-BPD). J Pers Disord. 2003;17(6):568-573.
- American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association Publishing; 2022.
- Linehan MM, Korslund KE, Harned MS, et al. Dialectical behavior therapy for high suicide risk in individuals with borderline personality disorder: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Psychiatry. 2015;72(5):475-482.
- Gunderson JG, Herpertz SC, Skodol AE, Torgersen S, Zanarini MC. Borderline personality disorder. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2018;4:18029.
- Zanarini MC, et al. A screening measure for BPD: the McLean Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder (MSI-BPD). Original validation study abstract: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14744082/
- National Institute of Mental Health. Borderline Personality Disorder. nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/borderline-personality-disorder
Cite this source
Psychology.com. (2026, September 16). Borderline Personality Disorder Test. Psychology.com. https://psychology.com/tests/bpd
Borderline Personality Disorder Test FAQ
What is a borderline personality (BPD) test?
It is a short, research-based screening informed by the MSI-BPD, a validated tool built around the nine clinical criteria for borderline personality disorder. It counts how many of those features you recognize in yourself. A higher count can suggest that a full assessment is worth considering, but it is a screening tool, not a diagnosis.
What score suggests I should seek an assessment?
In the validation research, seven or more positive answers out of ten best identified people who might meet criteria for BPD and would benefit from a professional evaluation. Scoring below that does not rule anything out, and scoring at or above it does not mean you have BPD. It simply suggests a conversation with a clinician could be useful. The evidence applies to the original MSI-BPD, rather than establishing the accuracy of this adaptation.
Does a high score mean I have BPD?
No. Many of these experiences are part of being human and become more intense during stress, grief, or other conditions like depression, PTSD, or ADHD. BPD can only be assessed by a trained clinician over time. A high screen is a reason to ask, not an answer.
Can BPD be treated?
Yes. Psychotherapy is the main treatment for BPD, and approaches such as dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) can help people work on emotional regulation, relationships, and harmful behavior. A clinician can explain which options fit your needs and how progress will be reviewed. Improvement is possible, but a screening result cannot predict an individual outcome.
Is this test really confidential?
Yes. It runs entirely in your browser. Your individual answers are scored in your browser and are never sent to us or linked to you. They stay in this tab so you can return to your result, and closing or clearing the tab clears them. If you ask us to email the PDF, we receive your summary scores with your email address, never your individual answers. No account is needed.
Can a quiz tell me if I have BPD?
No. A BPD quiz is a screening for patterns you recognize, not a diagnosis. A high score is a reason to discuss your experiences with a qualified clinician; a low score does not rule out difficulties that deserve support. An assessment considers your history, daily functioning, and other possible explanations.
Is this BPD test free, with free results?
Yes. The full screening, your score, and the plain-language explanation of what it means are free, with no signup or payment required. An optional, more detailed personalized report is available if you want a deeper written breakdown, but the core result costs nothing.
What is the MSI-BPD?
MSI-BPD stands for the McLean Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder, a brief 10-item yes or no screen developed by Zanarini and colleagues in 2003. This BPD test uses adapted wording and additional response options. The original validation study supports the published instrument; it does not establish equivalent accuracy for this online adaptation.
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