Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Disorders”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMed2003

Child and adolescent psychiatric disorders predicting adult personality disorder: a follow-up study.

The objective of this study was to examine associations between childhood and adolescent psychiatric disorders and adult personality disorders in a group of former child psychiatric inpatients. One hundred and fifty-eight former inpatients with a mean age of 30.5 +/- 7.1 years at investigation had their childhood and adolescent Axis I disorders, obtained from their medical records, coded into DSM-IV diagnoses. Personality disorders in adulthood were assessed by means of the DSM-IV and ICD-10 Personality Questionnaire (DIP-Q). The predictive effects of child and adolescent Axis I disorders on adult personality disorders were examined with logistic regression analyses. The odds of adult schizoid, avoidant, dependent,borderline and schizotypal personality disorders increased by almost 10, five, four, three and three times, respectively, given a prior major depressive disorder. Those effects were independent of age, sex and other Axis I disorders. In addition, the odds of adult narcissistic and antisocial personality disorders increased by more than six and five times, respectively, given a prior disruptive disorder, and the odds of adult borderline, schizotypal, avoidant and paranoid personality disorders increased between two and three times given a prior sub-stance-related disorder. The results illustrate an association between mental disorders in childhood and adolescence and adult personality disorders. Identification and successful treatment of childhood psychiatric disorders may help to reduce the risk for subsequent development of an adult personality disorder.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

The DSM-III-R impulse control disorders not elsewhere classified: clinical characteristics and relationship to other psychiatric disorders.

OBJECTIVE: The authors reviewed available studies of DSM-III-R impulse control disorders not elsewhere classified in order to determine the relationship of these disorders to one another and to other psychiatric disorders. METHOD: The review focused on the demographic and clinical characteristics, phenomenology, family history, biology, and response to treatment of individuals with intermittent explosive disorder, kleptomania, pathological gambling, pyromania, and trichotillomania. Analysis was restricted to reports which either indicated use of operational diagnostic criteria or provided descriptions of the impulsive behavior detailed enough that patients could be judged as probably meeting the DSM-III-R criteria. RESULTS: Although different impulse control disorders have different sex ratios, all have similar ages at onset and courses. Studies on phenomenology, family history, and response to treatment suggest that intermittent explosive disorder, kleptomania, pathological gambling, pyromania, and trichotillomania may be related to mood disorders, alcohol and psychoactive substance abuse, and anxiety disorders (especially obsessive-compulsive disorder). Biological studies indicate that intermittent explosive disorder and pyromania may share serotonergic abnormalities similar to those reported in mood disorders. CONCLUSIONS: The impulse control disorders not elsewhere classified appear to be related to one another and to mood, anxiety, and psychoactive substance use disorders. Thus, like major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, bulimia nervosa, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, they may represent forms of "affective spectrum disorder."

Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders↗
PubMed1993

Comorbidity of conduct disorder and personality disorders in an incarcerated juvenile population.

OBJECTIVE: Youths with conduct disorder extract an inordinate amount of time and money from the U.S. judicial system and taxpayers, yet studies pertaining to this population have been few. This study was undertaken to examine the co-occurrence of personality disorders and conduct disorder in a group of incarcerated children and adolescents and to raise the issue of the possibility of antisocial personality disorder in persons under the age of 18 years. METHOD: One hundred incarcerated juvenile offenders aged 11-17 years were randomly selected and then interviewed with the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents--Revised and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R Personality Disorders to establish their psychiatric diagnoses. RESULTS: Eighty-seven percent of the group met the criteria for conduct disorder. Among those diagnosed as having conduct disorder, the only comorbid personality disorder that was present with significant frequency was antisocial personality disorder. The other comorbid personality disorder diagnoses that appeared most frequently were the borderline, narcissistic, paranoid, passive-aggressive, and dependent types. Borderline personality disorder was observed more frequently in the females than in the males with conduct disorder. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that by using DSM-III-R criteria for adult personality disorders, one finds a considerable number of personality disorders in a young population with conduct disorder. The findings also show that youths manifest signs of antisocial personality disorder before they are 18 years of age, raising the question of how age should be incorporated into the diagnosis of personality disorder as DSM-IV is being prepared.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Influence of personality disorder on the treatment of panic disorder--comparison study.

UNLABELLED: Most clinicians tend to believe that the occurrence of the anxiety disorder in comorbidity with a personality disorder often leads to longer treatment, worsens the prognosis, and thus increasing treatment costs. The study is designed to compare the short-term effectiveness of combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and pharmacotherapy in patient suffering with panic disorder with and without personality disorder. METHOD: We compare the efficacy of 6th week therapeutic program and 6th week follow up in patients suffering with panic disorder and/or agoraphobia and comorbid personality disorder (29 patients) and panic disorder and/or agoraphobia without comorbid personality disorder (31 patients). Diagnosis was done according to the ICD-10 research diagnostic criteria confirmed with MINI and support with psychological methods: IPDE, MCMI-III and TCI. Patients were treated with CBT and psychopharmacs. They were regularly assessed in week 0, 2, 4, 6 and 12 by an independent reviewer on the CGI (Clinical Global Improvement) for severity and change, PDSS (Panic Disorder Severity Scale), HAMA (Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale), SDS (Sheehan Disability Scale), HDRS (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale), and in self-assessments BAI (Beck Anxiety Inventory) and BDI (Beck Depression Inventory). RESULTS: A combination of CBT and pharmacotherapy proved to be the effective treatment of patients suffering with panic disorder and/or agoraphobia with or without comorbid personality disorder. The 12th week treatment efficacy in the patients with panic disorder without personality disorder had been showed significantly better compared with the group with panic disorder comorbid with personality disorder in CGI and specific inventory for panic disorder--PDSS. Also the scores in depression inventories HDRS and BDI showed significantly higher decrease during the treatment comparing with group without personality disorder. But the treatment effect between groups did not differ in objective anxiety scale HAMA, and subjective anxiety scale BAI.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Increased morbid risk for schizophrenia-related disorders in relatives of schizotypal personality disordered patients.

To evaluate whether probands from a clinical sample diagnosed as having DSM-III schizotypal and/or paranoid personality disorder have a familial relationship to the schizophrenia-related disorders, the morbid risk for schizophrenia-related disorders and other psychiatric disorders were evaluated in the first-degree relatives of patients with schizotypal and/or paranoid personality disorder and compared with the corresponding risk for these disorders in the first-degree relatives of patients with other non-schizophrenia-related personality disorders. The morbid risk for all schizophrenia-related disorders, and specifically for schizophrenia-related personality disorders, was significantly greater among the relatives of the probands with schizotypal and/or paranoid personality disorder than among the relatives of probands with other personality disorder. The morbid risk for other psychiatric disorders did not differ significantly between the first-degree relatives of the schizotypal/paranoid personality disorder and the other personality disorder control proband samples. These results suggest a specific familial association between schizophrenia-related disorders, particularly schizophrenia-related personality disorders, and clinically diagnosed schizotypal patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Childhood history of anxiety disorders among adults with social phobia: rates, correlates, and comparisons with patients with panic disorder.

We examined the rates and correlates of a childhood history of anxiety disorders in 100 adults with a primary diagnosis of social phobia (social anxiety disorder). Adulthood and childhood disorders were assessed by experienced clinicians with structured clinical interviews. Rates of childhood anxiety disorders were evaluated to diagnostic comorbidity and a comparison group of patients with panic disorder. Onset of social phobia occurred before age 18 in 80% of the sample. Over half of the sample (54%) met criteria for one or more childhood anxiety disorders other than social phobia: 47% for overanxious disorder, 25% for avoidant disorder, 13% for separation anxiety disorder, and 1% for childhood agoraphobia. A history of childhood anxiety was associated with an early age of onset of social phobia, greater severity of fear and avoidance of social situations, greater fears of negative evaluation, and greater anxiety and depression morbidity. Rates of childhood social phobia, overanxious disorder, and avoidant disorder were significantly higher in patients with social phobia relative to our panic-disordered comparison group. We found approximately equal rates of a childhood history of separation anxiety disorder in patients with social phobia and panic disorder, providing further evidence against a unique relationship between separation anxiety disorder and panic disorder.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Temporal sequencing of lifetime mood disorders in relation to comorbid anxiety and substance use disorders--findings from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the temporal sequencing of psychiatric disorders. The aim of this study was to obtain insight into patterns of co-occurrence of DSM-III-R mood disorders in relation to anxiety and substance use disorders, their temporal sequencing and the sociodemographic and long-term vulnerability predictors of this temporal sequencing. METHODS: Data are from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study (NEMESIS), a psychiatric epidemiological study in a representative sample of 7,076 adults aged 18-64. RESULTS: Of those who had ever experienced a mood disorder, 46 % of males and 57 % of females had a history of anxiety disorders, and 43 % and 15 % of substance use disorders. Mood disorders were associated with all anxiety and substance use disorders, except with alcohol abuse among males. In the majority of anxiety-comorbid cases, the mood disorder arose after the anxiety disorder; the pattern for substance use-comorbid disorders was more variable. Deviation from the usual sequence of major depression and anxiety disorders was more often seen among females, subjects with a higher educational level, subjects who experienced childhood parental divorce, and subjects who experienced childhood emotional neglect. CONCLUSIONS: When comorbid with anxiety disorders, mood disorders clearly tend to be secondary. Few of the studied demographic factors, familial vulnerability factors and childhood life events predict the sequencing of mood disorders in relation to other disorders.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The relationship of obsessive-compulsive disorder to putative spectrum disorders: results from an Indian study.

The relationship between obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and putative obsessive-compulsive (OC) spectrum disorders is unclear. This study investigates the prevalence of putative OC spectrum disorders in OCD subjects in a controlled clinical design. The putative OC spectrum disorders studied included somatoform disorders (body dysmorphic disorder [BDD] and hypochondriasis), eating disorders, tic disorders (e.g., Tourette's syndrome [TS]), and impulse control disorders (e.g., trichotillomania). Only those disorders that are commonly noted to be possibly related to OCD are studied. Included in this study were 231 subjects with a diagnosis of OCD according to DSM-IV criteria and 200 controls who were not screened for psychiatric morbidity. The subjects and controls were assessed in detail by extensive clinical and semistructured interviews by expert clinical psychiatrists. The lifetime diagnoses were made by consensus of two psychiatrists. Prevalence of tic disorders, hypochondriasis, BDD, and trichotillomania was significantly greater in OCD subjects compared to controls. However, the prevalence of sexual compulsions, pathological gambling, eating disorders, and depersonalization disorder was not greater in the OCD subjects compared to controls. The findings of this comorbidity study suggest that tic disorders, hypochondriasis, BDD, and trichotillomania are perhaps part of the OC spectrum disorders. There is a need to evaluate evidence from other sources such as epidemiological, neurobiological, and family studies to further our understanding of the concept of OC spectrum disorders.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

The effects of anxiety, substance use and conduct disorders on risk of major depressive disorder.

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is highly co-morbid with other Axis I disorders, which commonly precede its onset. We sought to determine the level and periods of risk for MDD posed by prior or co-occurring psychiatric disorders. METHOD: Using retrospective data from a longitudinal, population-based sample of 2926 male and 1929 female adult twin subjects, we predicted the hazard rates for MDD from a Cox proportional hazards model with same-year or prior onsets of co-morbid Axis I disorders as time-dependent covariates. RESULTS: All axis I disorders studied (generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, phobia, alcohol dependence, psychoactive substance use disorders and conduct disorder) significantly predicted increased risk for developing MDD. The highest hazard rates occurred for MDD onsets that co-occurred with those of the co-morbid disorder. However, the risk for onset of MDD subsequent to that of prior disorders is also significantly increased and remains relatively unchanged over time. Although the risk for onset of MDD is significantly higher in women than men, this was not explained by gender differences in prior disorder prevalence or increased sensitivity in women to the effects of prior disorders on risk for depression. CONCLUSIONS: Prior psychiatric disorders are significant risk factors for the development of MDD, independent of the length of the intervening period between the onset of the first disorder and that of MDD.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Psychoactive substance use disorders in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): effects of ADHD and psychiatric comorbidity.

OBJECTIVE: The authors evaluated the association between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and psychoactive substance use disorders in adults with ADHD, attending to comorbidity with mood, anxiety, and antisocial disorders. It was hypothesized that psychiatric comorbidity would be a risk factor for psychoactive substance use disorders. METHOD: Findings for 120 referred adults with a clinical diagnosis of childhood-onset ADHD were compared with those for non-ADHD adult comparison subjects (N = 268). All childhood and adult diagnoses were obtained by structured psychiatric interviews for DSM-III-R. RESULTS: There was a significantly higher lifetime risk for psychoactive substance use disorders in the ADHD adults than in the comparison subjects (52% versus 27%). Although the two groups did not differ in the rate of alcohol use disorders, the ADHD adults had significantly higher rates of drug and drug plus alcohol use disorders than the comparison subjects. ADHD significantly increased the risk for substance use disorders independently of psychiatric comorbidity. Antisocial disorders significantly increased the risk for substance use disorders independently of ADHD status. Mood and anxiety disorders increased the risk for substance use disorders in both the ADHD and comparison subjects, but more demonstrably in the comparison subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Although psychiatric comorbidity increased the risk for psychoactive substance use disorders in adults with ADHD, by itself ADHD was a significant risk factor for substance use disorders. More information is needed to further delineate risk and protective factors mediating the development of substance use disorders in persons with ADHD.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Psychological disorders in patients with evacuation disorders and constipation in a tertiary practice.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of psychological impairment in patients with rectal evacuation disorders and the influence of psychological disorder on the early outcome of behavioral treatment. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with rectal evacuation disorders referred for biofeedback retraining at a tertiary referral center. The psychological disorder was classified using the DSM IV criteria. Outcome of biofeedback treatment of evacuation at 2 wk was based on symptoms or on the ability to spontaneously expel a balloon placed in the rectum. Improvements in the groups without versus with a psychological disorder or an eating disorder were compared by Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: In the 60 patients (55 women; 5 men; mean age, 38 yr), psychological disorders were identified in 39 (65%); also noted were eating disorder (n = 5), rumination syndrome (n = 3), pain disorder (n = 6), anxiety-depression (n = 10), a combination of depression and pain disorder (n = 3), and a combination of eating disorder with anxiety-depression and pain disorder (n = 12). There was an association between psychological status and outcome at 2 wk of behavioral treatment for evacuation disorder (p = 0.03). The coexistence of eating disorder and psychological disorder resulted in an unfavorable outcome (p = 0.02), compared with those without psychological disorder. CONCLUSION: Psychological impairment was identified in 65% of the patients with evacuation disorder and constipation in a tertiary care practice, and has a significant negative impact on the outcome of behavioral treatment. These data reinforce the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in the management of these patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Comorbidity of DSM-III-R eating disorders and personality disorders.

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship of eating disorders to personality disorders. Two hundred subjects were independently administered the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R (SCID) and the Personality Disorder Examination (PDE) face-to-face by two experienced clinicians. One hundred forty-six also completed the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire-Revised (PDQ-R). Rates of personality disorder among patients with and without eating disorders were determined by each of the three instruments. Comorbidity between bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa and a conservative estimate of individual Axis II disorders was examined. Eating disorders with and without personality disorders were compared on age at onset and two measures of illness severity. Results indicate that the association, in general, between personality disorders and eating disorders varies by diagnostic method. Bulimia nervosa, however, is associated with borderline personality disorder and anorexia nervosa with avoidant personality disorder. Eating disorders with personality disorders are characterized by chronicity and low levels of functioning compared with eating disorders without personality disorders.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Shared transmission of eating disorders and anxiety disorders.

OBJECTIVE: Eating disorders have high comorbidity with mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Using twins from the population-based Minnesota Twin Family Study (MTFS), we examined comorbidity and shared transmission between eating pathology and these disorders. METHOD: Female twins (N = 672), ages 16-18 years, completed structured clinical interviews assessing anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa (as described in the 4th ed. of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994]), as well as mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders (as described in the 3rd Rev. ed. of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [DSM-III-R]). Shared transmission was examined using a discordant monozygotic (MZ) twin design. RESULTS: Significant comorbidity was found between eating disorders and major depression, anxiety disorders, and nicotine dependence. Within MZ twin pairs discordant for eating disorders (n = 14), non-eating-disordered cotwins demonstrated increased risk for anxiety disorders compared with controls. Similarly, within MZ twin pairs discordant for anxiety disorders (n = 52), non-anxiety-disordered cotwins demonstrated increased risk for eating disorders compared with controls. DISCUSSION: Findings support shared transmission between eating disorders and anxiety disorders. However, the nature of this shared diathesis remains unknown.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

The relationship of borderline personality disorder to posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic events.

OBJECTIVE: The authors examined the relationship of borderline personality disorder to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with respect to the role of trauma and its timing. METHOD: The Trauma History Questionnaire and the PTSD module of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R were administered to 180 male and female outpatients with a diagnosis of one or more DSM-III-R personality disorders. Path analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between borderline personality disorder and PTSD. RESULTS: High rates of early and lifetime trauma were found for the subject group as a whole. Compared to subjects without borderline personality disorder, subjects with borderline personality disorder had significantly higher rates of childhood/adolescent physical abuse (52.8% versus 34.3%) and were twice as likely to develop PTSD. In the path analysis of the relationship between borderline personality disorder and PTSD, none of the different types of paths (direct path, indirect paths through adulthood traumas, paths sharing the antecedent of childhood abuse) was significant. The associations with both trauma and PTSD were not unique to borderline personality disorder; paranoid personality disorder subjects had an even higher rate of comorbid PTSD than subjects without paranoid personality disorder, as well as elevated rates of physical abuse and assault in childhood/adolescence and adulthood. CONCLUSIONS: The associations of personality disorder with early trauma and PTSD were evident, but modest, in borderline personality disorder and were not unique to this type of personality disorder. The results do not appear substantial or distinct enough to support singling out borderline personality disorder from the other personality disorders as a trauma-spectrum disorder or variant of PTSD.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparing anxiety disorders and anxiety-related traits in bipolar disorder and unipolar depression.

The frequent comorbidity of anxiety disorders and mood disorders has been documented in previous studies. However, it remains unclear whether specific anxiety traits or disorders are more closely associated with unipolar major depression (MDD) or bipolar disorder (BPD). We sought to examine whether MDD and BPD can be distinguished by their association with specific types of anxiety comorbidity. Individuals with a primary lifetime diagnosis of either bipolar disorder (N=122) or major depressive disorder (N=114) received diagnostic assessments of anxiety disorder comorbidity, and completed questionnaires assessing anxiety sensitivity and neuroticism. The differential association of these anxiety phenotypes with MDD versus BPD was examined with multivariate modeling. Panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) specifically emerged amongst all the anxiety disorders as significantly more common in patients with BPD than MDD. After controlling for current mood state, anxiety sensitivity and neuroticism did not differ by mood disorder type. This study supports prior research suggesting a specific panic disorder-bipolar disorder connection, and suggests GAD may also be differentially associated with BPD. Further research is needed to clarify the etiologic basis of anxiety disorder/BPD comorbidity and to optimize treatment strategies for patients with these co-occurring disorders.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Current comorbidity of psychiatric disorders among DSM-IV major depressive disorder patients in psychiatric care in the Vantaa Depression Study.

BACKGROUND: While numerous studies have documented the high comorbidity of major depressive disorder (MDD) with individual mental disorders, no published study has reported overall current comorbidity with all Axis I and II disorders among psychiatric patients with MDD, nor systematically investigated variations in current comorbidity by sociodemographic factors, inpatient versus outpatient status, and number of lifetime depressive episodes. METHOD: Psychiatric outpatients and inpatients in Vantaa, Finland, were prospectively screened for an episode of DSM-IV MDD, and 269 patients with a new episode of MDD were enrolled in the Vantaa Depression MDD Cohort Study. Axis I and II comorbidity was assessed via semistructured Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry, version 2.0, and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-II-R personality disorders interviews. RESULTS: The great majority (79%) of patients with MDD suffered from 1 or more current comorbid mental disorders, including anxiety disorder (57%), alcohol use disorder (25%), and personality disorder (44%). Several anxiety disorders were associated with specific Axis II clusters, and panic disorder with agoraphobia was associated with inpatient status. The prevalence of personality disorders varied with inpatient versus outpatient status, number of lifetime depressive episodes, and type of residential area, and the prevalence of substance use disorders varied with gender and inpatient versus outpatient status. CONCLUSION: Most psychiatric patients with MDD have at least 1 current comorbid disorder. Comorbid disorders are associated not only with other comorbid disorders, but also with sociodemographic factors, inpatient versus outpatient status, and lifetime number of depressive episodes. The influence of these variations on current comorbidity patterns among MDD patients needs to be taken account of in treatment facilities.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Impact of psychiatric disorders in the general population: satisfaction with life and the influence of comorbidity and disorder duration.

BACKGROUND: Psychiatric disorders as defined by DSM-IV are found to be highly prevalent in the general population. However, little is known about aspects defining the burden caused by different disorders. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of different psychiatric disorders in the community with respect to life satisfaction taking into account the effects of comorbidity and disorder duration. METHOD: Psychiatric 12-month disorders and life satisfaction were assessed in a random sample of 4075 adults from the general population using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). Separate analyses were performed for comorbid and pure disorders. Disorder duration was defined by the time since disorder onset for participants fulfilling diagnostic criteria within the last year. RESULTS: SWLS scores were significantly lower for all diagnostic subgroups except for bipolar disorders, compared to subjects with no 12-month diagnosis. Effect sizes were medium to large. Comorbidity was significantly associated with lower satisfaction with life. Pure disorders are associated with less but still significantly reduced SWLS scores, except alcohol abuse, major depression and specific phobia. Mean duration of disorder was lowest for dysthymia (5.9 years) and highest for specific phobia (24.5 years). The only significant correlation between disorder duration and SWLS was found for major depression (r = -0.26) and no trend for the direction of the relation could be identified across disorders. CONCLUSIONS: The impact of mental disorders in the community was confirmed by using the subjective measure of life satisfaction. Comorbidity is a key factor in determining the extent of reduction in satisfaction with life. Measures of disorder persistence should be examined by refined research strategies. Comprehensive analyses of mental disorders--exceeding the prevalence or a single measure of burden--have to be considered to define the most urgent needs in the community.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Prevalence of common mental disorders in Italy: results from the European Study of the Epidemiology of Mental Disorders (ESEMeD).

OBJECTIVE: To present 1-month, 12-month and lifetime prevalence estimates of mood, anxiety and alcohol disorders in Italy; and the socio-demographic correlates and comorbidity patterns of these estimated disorders. METHOD: A representative random sample of non-institutionalised citizens of Italy aged 18 or older (N=4,712) was interviewed between January 2001 and July 2003, with a weighted response rate of 71.3%. DSM-IV disorders were assessed by lay interviewers using Version 3.0 of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). RESULTS: A total of 11% of respondents reported a lifetime history of any mood disorder, 10.3% any anxiety disorder and 1.3% any alcohol disorder. About 5% reported having an anxiety disorder in the past 12 months compared to 3.3% for any mood disorder and 0.2% for any alcohol disorder. Major depression and specific phobia were the most common mental disorders. Women were twice as likely as men to report a mood disorder and four times as likely as men to report an anxiety disorder, while men were twice as likely as women to report an alcohol disorder. High comorbidity of mood and anxiety disorders was observed. Prevalence estimates were generally lower than in parallel surveys carried out in other Western European countries. CONCLUSION: A high proportion of adults in Italy have a history of mood, anxiety or alcohol disorders. The lower than expected prevalence estimate of alcohol use disorder may be due to under-reporting or to low social harm from alcohol consumption.

Adolescent↗