A nurse set limits while interacting with a patient demonstrating behaviors 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

A) denial.
B) splitting.
C) defensive.
D) reaction formation.

Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline Personality Disorder is a mental health disorder characterized by unstable moods, behavior, and relationships, often resulting in significant distress or impulsivity.

Outburst

A sudden, intense expression of emotion, such as anger or frustration, which can be verbal or physical.

Splitting

A defense mechanism often associated with borderline personality disorder, characterized by viewing people or situations as all good or all bad.