A nurse set limits while interacting with a patient demonstrating behaviours associated with borderline personality disorder. The patient tells the nurse, "You used to care about me. I thought you were wonderful. Now I can see I was wrong. You're evil." This outburst can be assessed as which of the following?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Splitting is a common defense mechanism in borderline personality disorder where the individual sees others as all good or all bad, with no middle ground. The patient's statement reflects this black-and-white thinking.

A Nurse Set Limits While Interacting with a Patient Demonstrating