The controversially named borderline syndrome is a chronic, recurrent and mercurial mental disorder (Paris, 1994; Sandell, 1989).  Diagnosed predominantly among females (about 75%) (Widiger and Weissman, 1991), borderline personality disorder (BPD) occurs among 2% of the general population, 10% of outpatient psychiatric patients and 20% of inpatient psychiatric patients (American Psychiatric Association, 2000).  The current…