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Reliability of criteria for borderline personality disorder: a comparison of DSM-III and the Diagnostic Interview for Borderline Patients.

The authors compared the reliability of two methods of distinguishing borderline personality disorder--DSM-III and the Diagnostic Interview for Borderline Patients. The reference group, outpatients with other personality disorders and without major axis I pathology, was more difficult to distinguish from the patients with borderline personality disorder than such groups used in previous samples. The sensitivity and specificity of the Diagnostic Interview for Borderline Patients were calculated, with DSM-III used as a criterion. The findings confirm considerable overlap between borderline and schizotypal personality disorders, more impairment in functioning in borderline patients than in those with other personality disorders, and the high reliability with which borderline personality disorder can be diagnosed.

Adolescent↗

Dexamethasone suppression test in hospitalized depressed patients with borderline personality disorder.

There is considerable disagreement about the relationship between borderline personality disorder and the affective disorders. The authors report the results of a study of the relationship between dexamethasone suppression and depressive subtype in hospitalized depressed borderline patients. Twenty-three patients met research criteria for unipolar major depressive episode without psychosis of at least moderate severity. Thirteen patients also met criteria for borderline personality disorder. Dexamethasone suppression test (DST) results showed no significant correlation with either melancholia or borderline personality disorder alone. However, of the 13 borderlines, eight failed to suppress and six of those eight were not melancholic. The authors conclude that abnormal response to dexamethasone in nonmelancholic borderlines casts some doubt on the specificity of the DST for melancholia.

Adolescent↗

Changes in attitudes to personality disorder on a DSPD unit.

BACKGROUND: Psychiatric professionals tend to have poor attitudes towards people who suffer from personality disorder. Previous studies suggest that such attitudes are influenced by sufferer behaviours, organizational factors and the characteristics of individual professionals, but do similar considerations apply outside health services? AIM: To identify what events, experiences and factors in the course of daily work with personality-disordered people influence the attitudes and beliefs of prison staff. METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with prison officers working in a pilot "Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder" Unit within a UK prison. Open questions were asked about any changes in their attitudes to or beliefs about personality-disordered inmates. RESULTS: Positive influences on attitude were: development of greater understanding of personality disorder and prisoners as individuals; improvement in inmate behaviours; education; the staff counselling programme; staff sharing support and skills; the challenge and purpose of the new role and having their views listened to. Negative influences were: delays in establishing the treatment programme; some inmate behaviours; fear and concern over their new roles and negative portrayal as a profession in the media. CONCLUSIONS: In order to maintain a high overall positive attitude among staff to working with people with personality disorder, units should have: consistency of direction and timely implementation of anticipated developments; clear philosophy and treatment regime; substantial investment in staff training programmes and effective programmes for the provision of clinical supervision to frontline staff.

Adult↗

Personality disorder comorbidity in early-onset versus late-onset major depression in Japan.

This study explored the comorbidity of DSM-III-R personality disorders in early-onset versus late-onset major depression in Japan. The subjects were 117 consecutive outpatients with major depression, with 26 classified as having an early onset (first depressive episode at age 22 or earlier) and 91 classified as having a late onset (first depressive episode at age 23 or later). Personality disorders were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R Personality Disorders after a 2-month antidepressant treatment. The results indicated that early-onset major depression was characterized by greater personality disorder comorbidity than late-onset major depression in Japan. Subjects with any one cluster A or B personality disorder were more prevalent in the early-onset group. In terms of each personality disorder, histrionic, narcissistic, and borderline patients were more prevalent, and the number of criteria met for schizotypal and cluster B personality disorders was significantly larger in early-onset major depression after corrections for age and gender. The results suggested that the higher prevalence of personality pathologies in early-onset major depression may reflect a higher likelihood to convert into bipolar disorders or a stronger impact of having experienced depressive episodes in young individuals. The possibility that the predisposing personality pathology may be different in early-onset and late-onset major depression is also discussed.

Adult↗

The impact of severe mental illness, co-morbid personality disorders and demographic factors on psychiatric bed use.

BACKGROUND: The use of inpatient psychiatric services has been correlated with certain demographic and clinical variables. However, there is limited information about the impact of personality disorder. AIMS: To describe the impact of severe mental illness, personality disorders and demographic variables on psychiatric bed use amongst people in contact with a Community Mental Health Team (CMHT). METHOD: Two-year retrospective and 2-year prospective bed use by the caseload of one Community Mental Health Team. RESULTS: Psychotic disorders (odds ratio 2.7), personality disorders (OR 2.2), marital status (OR 2.1) and unemployment (OR 1.9) were significantly related to psychiatric admissions from community care. Gender, accommodation, drug and alcohol problems, and ethnicity were not. CONCLUSIONS: Psychosis, personality disorder and unemployment appear to have independent effects on psychiatric bed use. Patients with a combination of psychotic disorders and diffuse personality disorders were very high users of inpatient services. This suggests that this group have particular needs that community mental health teams find difficult to manage.

Adolescent↗

Temperament, childhood environment and psychopathology as risk factors for avoidant and borderline personality disorders.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate childhood experiences (neglect and abuse), temperament and childhood and adolescent psychopathology as risk factors for avoidant and borderline personality disorders in depressed outpatients. METHOD: One hundred and eighty depressed outpatients were evaluated for personality disorders. Risk factors of childhood abuse, parental care, temperament, conduct disorder symptoms, childhood and adolescent anxiety disorders, depressive episodes, hypomania and alcohol and drug dependence were obtained by questionnaires and interviews. RESULTS: Avoidant personality disorder can be conceptualized as arising from a combination of high harm avoidance (shy, anxious), childhood and adolescent anxiety disorders and parental neglect. Borderline personality disorder can be formulated as arising from a combination of childhood abuse and/or neglect, a borderline temperament (high novelty seeking and high harm avoidance), and childhood and adolescent depression, hypomania, conduct disorder and alcohol and drug dependence. CONCLUSIONS: Combinations of risk factors from the three domains of temperament, childhood experiences and childhood and adolescent psychopathology make major contributions to the development of avoidant and borderline personality disorders.

Adolescent↗

Childhood trauma as an etiological factor in the personality disorders.

This article critically reviews the problems concerning the relationship between traumatic events in childhood and personality disorders in adulthood. Attributing adult psychopathology primarily to environmental factors is problematic. Personality traits are heritable. Children are resilient to the long-term effects of trauma. All studies of trauma in personality disordered patients suffer from retrospective designs. Only a minority of patients with severe personality disorders report severe childhood trauma. The effects of trauma in the personality disorders can be better understood in the context of gene-environment interactions.

Adult↗

High prevalence of personality disorders among circadian rhythm sleep disorders (CRSD) patients.

The purpose of this study was to examine systematically our previous clinical impression regarding the prevalence of personality disorders in patients suffering from circadian rhythm sleep disorders (CRSD). We hypothesized that, in a group of patients suffering from CRSD, there would be a higher frequency of personality disorders than in a group of healthy controls. The experimental group consisted of CRSD patients diagnosed according to a clinical interview and actigraphic recordings. The control group consisted of healthy volunteers in whom CRSD had been ruled out by means of a self-administered questionnaire. Both groups were assessed for personality disorders using the MCMI, a diagnostic tool based on Millon's biopsychosocial theory of personality and the PRQ-R, a diagnostic tool based on the DMS-III-R. Both tests provided clear and significant support for the hypothesis that individuals suffering from CRSD are characterized to a greater extent by personality disorders than a control group. No specific characteristic pattern or profile of personality disorders was clearly detected. Correct early diagnosis and treatment of CRSD may improve afflicted individuals' adaptive capabilities and perhaps even prevent the development of a personality disorder. This suggests how important a greater awareness of CRSD on the part of the professional community may be.

Adolescent↗

Topiramate treatment for women with borderline personality disorder: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Borderline personality disorder is a common and severe psychiatric illness. The goal of this study was to determine whether topiramate can influence patients' borderline psychopathology, health-related quality of life, and interpersonal problems. Women meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition Structured Clinical Interview II criteria for borderline personality disorder were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to topiramate titrated from 25 to 200 mg/d (n = 28) or placebo (n = 28) for 10 weeks. Primary outcome measures were changes on the Symptom-Checklist, on the SF-36 Health Survey, and on the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems. Body weight and additional side effects were assessed weekly. According to the intent-to-treat principle, significant changes (all P < 0.001) on the somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, anxiety, hostility, phobic anxiety, and Global Severity Index scales of the Symptom Checklist were observed in the topiramate-treated subjects after 10 weeks (no significant changes on the obsessive-compulsive, depression, paranoid ideation, and psychoticism scales). In the SF-36 Health Survey, significant differences were observed on all 8 scales (all P < 0.01 or P < 0.001). In the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems, significant differences (all P < 0.001) were found in the scales for overly autocratic, overly competitive, overly introverted, and overly expressive (no significant differences in the scales for overly cold, overly subassertive/subservient, overly exploitable/compliant, and overly nurturant/friendly). Weight loss was additionally observed (p < 0.001). Topiramate appears to be a safe and effective agent in the treatment in women with borderline personality disorder. Additional weight loss can be expected.

Adolescent↗

The effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy and cognitive behavior therapy in the treatment of personality disorders: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The authors conducted a meta-analysis to address the effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy and cognitive behavior therapy in the treatment of personality disorders. METHOD: Studies of psychodynamic therapy and cognitive behavior therapy that were published between 1974 and 2001 were collected. Only studies that 1) used standardized methods to diagnose personality disorders, 2) applied reliable and valid instruments for the assessment of outcome, and 3) reported data that allowed calculation of within-group effect sizes or assessment of personality disorder recovery rates were included. Fourteen studies of psychodynamic therapy and 11 studies of cognitive behavior therapy were included. RESULTS: Psychodynamic therapy yielded a large overall effect size (1.46), with effect sizes of 1.08 found for self-report measures and 1.79 for observer-rated measures. For cognitive behavior therapy, the corresponding values were 1.00, 1.20, and 0.87. For more specific measures of personality disorder pathology, a large overall effect size (1.56) was seen for psychodynamic therapy. Two cognitive behavior therapy studies reported significant effects for more specific measures of personality disorder pathology. For psychodynamic therapy, the effect sizes indicate long-term rather than short-term change in personality disorders. CONCLUSIONS: There is evidence that both psychodynamic therapy and cognitive behavior therapy are effective treatments of personality disorders. Since the number of studies that could be included in this meta-analysis was limited, the conclusions that can be drawn are only preliminary. Further studies are necessary that examine specific forms of psychotherapy for specific types of personality disorders and that use measures of core psychopathology. Both longer treatments and follow-up studies should be included.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy↗

Internal consistency, intercriterion overlap and diagnostic efficiency of criteria sets for DSM-IV schizotypal, borderline, avoidant and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate performance characteristics of DSM-IV Personality Disorders (PDs) criteria. METHOD: Six hundred and sixty-eight adults recruited for the Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study (CLPS) were assessed with diagnostic interviews. RESULTS: Within-category inter-relatedness was evaluated by Cronbach's alpha and median intercriterion correlations (MIC). Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.47 to 0.87 (median=0.71); seven of the 10 PDs had alphas greater than 0.70. Between-category criterion overlap was evaluated by "inter-category" intercriterion correlations between all PD pairs (ICMIC). ICMIC values (median=0.08) were lower than MIC values (median=0.23). Diagnostic efficiency statistics (sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive power and negative predictive power were calculated for schizotypal, borderline, avoidant and obsessive-compulsive PDs. CONCLUSION: DSM-IV PD criteria sets have some convergent validity and discriminant validity: criteria for individual PDs correlate better with each other than with criteria for other PDs. Diagnostic efficiency statistics provide guidance regarding usefulness of criteria for inclusion or exclusion.

Adolescent↗

Personality disorders in a Swedish peacekeeping unit.

There is a lack of knowledge about the incidence of personality disorders and their consequences among peacekeepers. Moreover, most studies are follow-up studies in which, if at all, personality traits are screened for after the soldiers have left their service abroad. The aim of this paper was to study personality disorders in a longitudinal perspective. The method used was to screen the personnel in a Swedish mechanized battalion serving in Bosnia from March until October 1996 on four occasions: before deployment, immediately after deployment, 6 months after deployment and 1 year after deployment. Serving in the battalion were 724 individuals of whom 516 took part in the survey. The screening instrument used was the DSM-IV and ICD-10 Personality Questionnaire (DIP-Q). The result shows that the rate of personality disorders were on the same level, or a little bit lower, than in the general population. Moreover, personality disorders were related to impaired general mental health and to reported traumatic experiences. Personality disorders also seemed to contribute to poor mental health 1 year after returning home from a mission abroad. The implications of these results for the future selection of peacekeepers are discussed.

Adult↗

The relationship between social phobia and avoidant personality disorder: workshop report 3.

Social phobia and avoidant personality disorder were new diagnoses in the third version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) and were considerably changed in the revised third version (DSM-III-R). A high rate of comorbidity between these disorders was observed, which can be explained by the use of the same diagnostic criteria for both conditions. While there has been considerable research activity on social phobia, little has been done on avoidant personality disorder. The relationship between these disorders, therefore, cannot be clearly stated at the moment. All of the empirical evidence so far supports a spectrum concept of social phobia with avoidant personality disorder rather than seeing the latter as a valid mental disorder.

Anxiety Disorders↗

Prospective follow-up study of borderline personality disorder: prognosis, prediction of outcome, and Axis II comorbidity.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the rate of persistence of borderline personality disorder (BPD), the existence of concomitant personality disorders on follow-up, and the predictors of outcome in patients who met criteria for BPD compared with patients with borderline features who failed to meet all of the criteria. METHOD: This prospective cohort study reassessed subjects for BPD diagnosis and cooccurring personality pathology at 7 years follow-up. Initial measures of borderline and comorbid personality psychopathology were used to predict levels of borderline or other personality disorder psychopathology at follow-up. RESULTS: Of the 57 subjects who initially met the criteria for BPD, 30 (52.6%) were found to have remitted BPD, and 27 (47.4%) were characterized as having persistent BPD. The remitted group met significantly fewer comorbid personality disorder diagnoses than the persistent group (mean = 0.8, mean = 3.5 respectively; P < 0.05). Results also indicated that the initial level of borderline psychopathology was predictive of borderline psychopathology at follow-up, which explained 17% of the variance. CONCLUSIONS: This prospective follow-up study found that almost 50% of former inpatients with BPD continue to test positive for BPD at 7 years follow-up, and these persistent BPD patients also had significantly more comorbid personality psychopathology. Borderline psychopathology at follow-up was primarily predicted by the level of borderline psychopathology recorded at the initial assessment.

Adult↗

Gender differences in personality disorders in psychiatrically hospitalized young adults.

We examined gender differences in DSM-III-R personality disorders in psychiatrically hospitalized young adults. Structured diagnostic interviews were reliably performed on a consecutive series of 118 inpatients. Men were significantly more likely to meet criteria for cluster A, schizotypal, and antisocial personality disorders. To reduce variability due to axis I heterogeneity, we retested for gender differences in a subgroup of patients with major depression. Depressed men were more likely to meet criteria for cluster A, schizotypal, and cluster C personality disorders. Women were not observed to have a higher frequency of any personality disorder than men in either study group.

Adult↗

Genetic and nosological aspects of schizotypal and borderline personality disorders. A twin study.

The aim of this study was to investigate etiological and nosological aspects of the schizotypal and borderline personality disorders. The sample consisted of 44 schizotypal, 15 schizotypal and borderline, and ten borderline same-sexed twin probands. The investigation of the co-twins indicated that genetic factors seemed to influence the development of the schizotypal, but not the borderline, personality disorders. The basic genetic core of the schizotypal syndrome seemed to consist of schizoid and paranoidlike features, and not psychoticlike cognitive and perceptual distortions. The study did not indicate any relationship between schizotypal and borderline personality disorders and affective and schizophrenic disorders. Further research is needed to confirm the independent status of the schizotypal syndrome in relation to the schizoid, avoidant, and paranoid personality disorders, and the borderline syndrome in relation to the histrionic , narcissistic, and antisocial personality disorders.

Adult↗

Tonic arousal and activity: relationships to personality and personality disorder traits in panic patients.

Personality theorists have long predicted a relationship between personality traits and autonomic activation. In this study, 48 patients with panic disorder underwent personality assessment by questionnaire (Eysenck Personality Inventory: 48 patients) and by interview (Personality Disorders Examination: 35 patients). Ambulatory heart rate and activity were measured by the Vitalog method and were used as measures of activation and autonomic arousal. There was a significant positive correlation between histrionic traits and activity level and a significant negative correlation between sociability and heart rate. The findings are consistent with previous studies showing a negative relationship between sensation-seeking personality traits and cerebrospinal fluid levels of norepinephrine and a positive relationship between extroversion and cerebrospinal fluid levels of dopamine.

Adult↗

Factor analysis of the DSM-III-R borderline personality disorder criteria in psychiatric inpatients.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to examine the factor structure of the DSM-III-R criteria for borderline personality disorder in young adult psychiatric inpatients. METHOD: The authors assessed 141 acutely ill inpatients with the Personality Disorder Examination, a semistructured diagnostic interview for DSM-III-R personality disorders. They used correlational analyses to examine the associations among the different criteria for borderline personality disorder and performed an exploratory factor analysis. RESULTS: Cronbach's coefficient alpha for the borderline personality disorder criteria was 0.69. A principal components factor analysis with a varimax rotation accounted for 57.2% of the variance and revealed three homogeneous factors. These factors were disturbed relatedness (unstable relationships, identity disturbance, and chronic emptiness); behavioral dysregulation (impulsivity and suicidal/self-mutilative behavior); and affective dysregulation (affective instability, inappropriate anger, and efforts to avoid abandonment). CONCLUSIONS: Exploratory factor analysis revealed three homogeneous components of borderline personality disorder that may represent personality, behavioral, and affective features central to the disorder. Recognition of these components may inform treatment plans.

Adolescent↗