In Borderline Personality Disorder, which symptom cluster reflects instability of emotions and rapid mood shifts?

• A. Identity diffusion
• B. Perfectionism
• C. Emotional dysregulation
• D. Detachment

Answer: (C)

Affective instability—rapid, intense shifts in mood driven by trouble with regulating emotions—is the hallmark of the emotional symptoms seen in Borderline Personality Disorder. When emotional responses are poorly controlled, moods swing quickly from one extreme to another and take time to settle, often in reaction to stress or perceived rejection. This instability captures both the intensity and the rapid change in affect that define this cluster.

Identity diffusion describes an unstable sense of self, not mood variability. Perfectionism points to rigid standards and control tendencies, more characteristic of other personality patterns. Detachment refers to emotional withdrawal and a tendency to be unreponsive, not to rapid mood fluctuations.