Prevalence Rates Of Personality Disorders Research Articles

Comorbilidad de la adicción a la cocaína con los trastornos de la personalidad

The aim of this paper was to review the current knowledge about the comorbidity between cocaine dependence and personality disorders. Results concerning a specific profile of cocaine patients are not conclusive. The prevalence rate of personality disorders in cocaine dependents is very heterogeneous (with a mean of 66% of cases), and a great variability is observed between all the studies carried out. There is a tendency for a higher proportion of cocaine dependents to be found within the cluster B category (mainly antisocial and borderline). Lastly, implications of this kind of study for future research and clinical practice are commented upon.

The relationship between stress and crime in migrants from the former Soviet Union

Scope: An epidemiological study on the prevalence of stress related experiences and personality disorders was conducted on two groups of migrants who came to Germany from the former Soviet Union (Group 1, incarcerated offenders, n = 60; Group 2, migrants living in the German community, n = 30) and a group of individuals with German ancestry who stayed in Russia (Group 3, n = 30). Hypotheses: (1) Incarcerated migrants experience more stress than those living in the community; (2) migrants to Germany show higher stress levels than those who have stayed in Siberia. Results: Poor German language skills were associated with the high stress level of incarcerated migrants, but no evidence was found for an association between high stress levels and an elevated prevalence rate for personality disorders. Stress levels were highest in Group 1; and the prevalence rate of personality disorders was 61.7 per cent. For Group 2, the prevalence rate was 16.7 per cent and for Group 3 it was 20 per cent. Conclusions: Stress levels in migrants from the former Soviet Union are generally elevated. They are also elevated in comparable individuals who have not migrated. Antisocial behaviour is associated with poor language skills and high stress levels, but stress does apparently not relate to the presence of a personality disorder. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Empirical evaluation of the MCMI-III personality disorder scales.

The MCMI-III personality disorder scales were empirically validated with a sample of 870 clinical patients and inmates. Prevalence rates of personality disorders were in general lower on the MCMI-III than clinical ratings, but trait prevalence was generally higher; thus a base rate of 75 on the MCMI-III could be a guideline in the screening of trait prevalence. However, the sensitivity of some MCMI-III scales was very low. Moreover, the correlations of most personality disorder scales of the MCMI-III were significant and positive with corresponding measures on clinical ratings and MMPI-2 personality disorder scales, but these were, in general, not significantly higher than some other correlations. As a consequence the discriminant validity seems to be questionable. The MCMI-III alone cannot be used as a diagnostic inventory, but the test could be useful as a screening device as a part of a multimethod approach that allows aggregation over measures in making diagnostic decisions.

The prevalence of personality disorder among UK primary care attenders.

To determine the prevalence rate of personality disorder among a consecutive sample of UK primary care attenders. Associations between a diagnosis of personality disorder, sociodemographic background and common mental disorder were examined. Three hundred and three consecutive primary care attenders were examined for the presence of ICD-10 and DSM-4 personality disorders using an informant-based interview. Personality disorder was diagnosed in 24% (95% CI: 19-29) of the sample. Personality-disordered subjects were more likely to have psychiatric morbidity as indicated by GHQ-12, to report previous psychological morbidity, to be single and to attend the surgery on an emergency basis. 'Cluster B' personality disorders were particularly associated with psychiatric morbidity. There is a high prevalence rate of personality disorders among primary care attenders. These disorders are associated with the presence of common mental disorder and unplanned surgery attendance. Personality disorders may represent a significant source of burden in primary care.

Personality Disorders in Older Adult Inpatients with Chronic Mental Illness

It has been hypothesized that some types of personality disorders tend to remit with age whereas others may become more prominent. The present study determined the prevalence and nature of 13 personality disorders with a self-report inventory (Coolidge Axis II Inventory) in an older group of chronically mentally ill inpatients (N = 30, mean age = 63 years) and a younger group of similar patients (N = 30, mean age = 39 years). All patients met DSM-IV criteria for either Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, or recurrent severe Major Depression with psychotic features. The prevalence rate of personality disorders was high for both groups: 58% for the older sample and 66% for the younger group. The younger group was more likely to be diagnosed Antisocial, Borderline, Passive-Aggressive, Sadistic, and Schizotypal, but the groups were not different in the rates of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. This study supports the hypothesis that some personality disorders remit with age. However, no evidence was found to suggest that other personality disorders become more prominent in older adult psychiatric populations. Suggestions for future research are offered.