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Multiple axis-II diagnoses of personality disorder.
- Source :
-
The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science [Br J Psychiatry] 1995 Jan; Vol. 166 (1), pp. 107-12. - Publication Year :
- 1995
-
Abstract
- Background: Simultaneous diagnosis of more than one personality disorder (PD) has been termed 'comorbidity' or 'co-occurrence' implying that single diagnoses are the norm and multiple diagnoses interesting exceptions. Surveys of PD subjects in fact show 1.5-5.6 diagnoses per subject. Our study explores the hypothesis that multiple PD diagnosis is common and increases with increasingly personality disordered populations.<br />Method: The PDQ-R questionnaire was administered to three UK samples: referrals for specialist PD in-patient treatment (n = 275); high tariff offenders attending a probation centre (n = 57); and undergraduate students (n = 274).<br />Results: Means of 6.0 (95% CI 5.7-6.3), 4.0 (3.1-5.0) and 3.4 (3.0-3.8) PDQ-R diagnoses per subject were found respectively. High rates of PD diagnosis in individual subjects suggest that multiple diagnosis is the norm rather than the exception.<br />Conclusions: Multiple diagnosis of PD is better construed as 'breadth' of psychopathology rather than comorbidity and is a function of sampling frame. High rates of multiple diagnoses question the interpretation of studies of any single PD. The graded construct of 'breadth' of axis-II pathology may further our understanding of PD.
- Subjects :
- Adolescent
Adult
Antisocial Personality Disorder classification
Antisocial Personality Disorder psychology
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Personality Disorders classification
Personality Disorders psychology
Prisoners psychology
Psychometrics
Reference Values
Reproducibility of Results
Therapeutic Community
Antisocial Personality Disorder diagnosis
Personality Disorders diagnosis
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales statistics & numerical data
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0007-1250
- Volume :
- 166
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 7894857
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.166.1.107