In this article a survey is given of the available data on borderline and schizotypical children. Until recently research on borderline children was directed at the determination of the highest common factor in the symptomatology of borderline children. During the last years one has tried to establish subgroups, based on the criteria of the DSM-III and the Diagnostic Interview for Borderline Patients. This approach seems to be meaningful.

The scanty data on schizotypal children suggest, that it is useful to inquire about the validity of this classification in children. The authors plead in favour of an empirically based classification in order to refine the classification of these disorders and related ones.