Age-related change in personality disorder trait levels between early adolescence and adulthood: a community-based longitudinal investigation.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate change in personality disorder (PD) traits between early adolescence and early adulthood among individuals in the community.


METHODS
PD traits were assessed in 1983 (mean age = 14), 1985-86 (mean age = 16) and 1992 (mean age = 22) in a representative community sample of 816 youths.


RESULTS
Overall, PD traits declined 28% during both adolescence and early adulthood. PD traits were moderately stable during the first 2-year interval, and were as stable as they have been reported to be among adults over similar intervals. PD trait stability declined slightly as the inter-assessment interval increased. Adolescents with PDs tended to have elevated PD traits during early adulthood.


CONCLUSIONS
PD traits tend to decline steadily in prevalence during adolescence and early adulthood. However, adolescents with PDs often have elevated PD traits as young adults, and the stability of PD traits appears to be similar during adolescence and early adulthood.
Johnson
J G
JG
Columbia University Department of Psychiatry, the New York State Psychiatric Institute, NY 10032, USA.
Cohen
P
P
Kasen
S
S
Skodol
A E
AE
Hamagami
F
F
Brook
J S
JS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012720:Severity of Illness Index