Personality disorders in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.
Two self-report questionnaires (MCMI and BSI) designed to measure personality disorder (PD) according to DSM-III (R) criteria were administered to patients with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa (AN) (n = 19), bulimia nervosa (BN) (n = 16), or both diagnoses (AN + BN) (n = 9), both before and after treatment for the eating disorder. The main finding was that self-reported Personality Disorder (PD) diagnoses are not stable enduring characteristics among this group of eating disorder patients. A high rate of PD diagnoses occurred in all patient groups at admission (93%) and at discharge (79%). Both MCMI and BSI scales were subject to significant change following treatment. A high prevalence of borderline personality disorder was found in patients with BN. Changes in depression and self-esteem scores correlated most strongly with changes in schizoid, schizotypal, histrionic and narcissistic scales. Assessment of PD using self-report measures should be interpreted with caution in acutely symptomatic patients with eating disorders.
Kennedy
S H
SH
Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Canada.
McVey
G
G
Katz
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D002032:Bulimia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D010556:Personality Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics