DSM-III-R personality diagnoses in anxiety disorder patients.
This study compared clinical characteristics of anxiety disorder patients with and without a co-occurring diagnosis of personality disorder. A structured diagnostic interview for anxiety disorders was used to make DSM-III-R diagnoses and to derive clinical ratings. The personality diagnosis group (n = 27) was compared with a large clinical series of anxiety disorder patients (n = 288) and with a group of patients without personality diagnoses who were matched on primary anxiety diagnosis, sex, and age (n = 25). The personality diagnosis group received significantly more diagnoses of current dysthymia and past major depression. The personality diagnosis group also had a significantly higher rate of rare anxiety disorders than the clinical series and significantly lower ratings of current adaptive functioning than the matched controls. These findings, suggesting the presence of a group of anxiety disorder patients with significant personality and affective symptomatology, are discussed in terms of models of syndrome-personality comorbidity and treatment response.
Klass
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Department of Psychology, Hunter College, City University of New York, NY.
DiNardo
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Barlow
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D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008370:Manuals as Topic; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011581:Psychological Tests