MSI-BPD · Borderline Personality Traits
MSI-BPD: Free Online Borderline Personality Traits Test
Emotional Intensity & Identity Self-Test
The McLean Screening Instrument (MSI-BPD) - 10 yes/no questions on mood intensity, identity and relationships. About 2 minutes.
Reviewed by Komel Kaur, psychotherapist and executive coach, M.A. Psychology
10
Questions
~2
Minutes
Free
Always
Question 1 of 10 · start here
Have any of your closest relationships been troubled by a lot of arguments or repeated breakups?
Pick one and the rest of the MSI-BPD continues on the next screen. Free, no sign-up.
What the MSI-BPD measures
The MSI-BPD is a brief screener for the traits associated with borderline personality disorder: intense and fast-shifting emotions, unstable relationships, impulsivity, chronic emptiness, identity confusion and fear of abandonment. It asks about patterns over your life, not just the last two weeks. Seven or more "yes" answers is the published threshold for a fuller assessment. A screener cannot diagnose a personality disorder, and these traits exist on a spectrum that many people sit somewhere on.
How to read your MSI-BPD score
A score is a starting point, not a verdict. Here is what each band on the MSI-BPD usually means and what a reasonable next step looks like.
Below screening threshold
Your answers do not suggest a borderline pattern. Some of these experiences are common on their own, and a low score here does not mean nothing is difficult.
Next step: If emotions still feel harder than they should
Some traits present
Several of the traits the MSI-BPD screens for are present, but you are below the threshold of 7. Often this looks like intense emotions and unstable relationships without the full pattern.
Next step: What therapy would work on here
Above screening threshold
Your score is at or above the MSI-BPD threshold of 7, which means a full assessment with a mental health professional is worthwhile. This is a screen, not a diagnosis. Importantly, this is one of the most treatable presentations in mental health - outcomes with structured therapy such as DBT are genuinely good.
Next step: This pattern has some of the best treatment evidence there is
What happens after a high score
A high MSI-BPD score does not mean something is wrong with you, and it does not confirm a diagnosis. It means the pattern you are living with is measurable, and that a trained person can help you understand it properly.
In practice, the next step is usually a conversation: someone takes your history, rules out other causes (thyroid, sleep debt, medication, grief, life circumstance), and looks at how long this has been going on and how much it is costing you. From there you decide together whether therapy, a medical review, or simply structured support is the right fit.
If you want to bring your result to someone, you can email yourself a copy at the end of the test and book an online session with Komel. Sessions are 60 minutes on Google Meet, and you can also start with a shorter 30-minute intro consultation.
Instrument and source
This page administers the Emotional Intensity & Identity Self-Test (MSI-BPD) as published, without modification to item wording or scoring. It is reproduced here for education and self-screening, scored on your device, and reviewed by Komel Kaur, Psychotherapist.
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.
Before you start
- · Find a quiet few minutes - answer honestly, not how you wish you felt.
- · There are no right or wrong answers. Pick what feels closest.
- · This is a screening tool, not a diagnosis.
- · If anything brings up something heavy, support is at the end.
Common questions about the MSI-BPD
What is the MSI-BPD test?
The MSI-BPD is a clinician-validated screening questionnaire that measures borderline personality traits. It has 10 questions and takes about 2 minutes to complete online, free.
Is the MSI-BPD a diagnosis?
No. The MSI-BPD is a screening tool, not a diagnostic test. A high score suggests it's worth talking to a qualified mental health professional; it doesn't confirm a condition on its own.
How long does the MSI-BPD take?
Most people finish the MSI-BPD in about 2 minutes. You get your results on screen immediately, and a copy by email if you'd like one.
Is this MSI-BPD test free and private?
Yes - it's completely free, no sign-up required to take it, and your answers are anonymous on screen. You only share an email if you want your results sent to you.
Reviewed by Komel Kaur, psychotherapist and executive coach, M.A. Psychology
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.