The correlation and difference of childhood traumatic experiences in personality disorders

Abstract

Objective To explore the relationship between childhood traumatic experiences and personali-ty disorders. Methods 1511 clients were sampled randomly from Shanghai Psychological Counseling Center. Per-sonality Diagnostic Questionnaire (PDQ+4) was administered to 1402 clients to screen personality disorders. Childhood Trauma Questionnaire(CTQ) and Blind semi-structure interviews using Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-Ⅳ Axis Ⅱ (SCID-Ⅱ) were conducted to screened subjects whose PDQ + 4 test was defined as positive. Re-suits Correlation analysis revealed that the total score of CTQ had a strong association with all the of personality disorders. Using partial correlations,the significant relationships between Cluster-B personality disorders and all the CTQ factors except physical neglect were demonstrated. Emotional abuse positively correlate with Ciuster-A per-sonality disorders(r=0.139, P<0.001 ), Cluster-C could be related to none of the early life experiences. Using Kruskal Wallis test,all the groups of subjects had significantly difference in emotional abuse,physical abuse,sexual abuse,physical neglect(P<0.01). Stepwise regression analysis showed that emotional abuse,emotional neglect en-tered the regression equation of Cluster-A and Cluster-B of personality disorders,standardized regression coefficient was 0.135 and 0.119(Cluster-A) ,0. 200 and 0. 084(Cluster-B) ,emotional neglect entered the regression equa-tion of Cluster-C of personality disorders, standardized regression coefficient was 0.077 and 0.141 (Cluster-C). Conclusion Childhood traumatic experiences might contribute to individuals susceptibility to personality disor-ders. The effect of the Cluster-B personality disorders are the most obviously. Childhood traumatic experiences in 3 clusters of personality disorders are different. Key words: Personality disorders; Childhood traumatic experiences; Client; Abuse; Neglect