THE NOTION OF THE BORDERLINE-CHILD-TO-BE IN THE LIGHT OF CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH

The diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder during infancy is controversial. Taking a developmental perspective of psychopathology, Pine (1974; 1986) proposed the notion of the borderline-child-to-be. He suggests that this child is characterized by the occurrence of trauma in the context of the relationship with the main caregiver, which would have impaired his ability to engage in normal development and led him to defensive mechanisms to ensure his psychic survival. Pine's proposals resonate with contemporary writings. They are thus revisited through concepts such as early relational trauma and attachment. The integration of empirical results from current scientific research into Pine's theory allows us to propose an explanatory model of the borderline-child-to-be.