Internal consistency, intercriterion overlap and diagnostic efficiency of criteria sets for DSM-IV schizotypal, borderline, avoidant and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate performance characteristics of DSM-IV Personality Disorders (PDs) criteria.


METHODS
Six hundred and sixty-eight adults recruited for the Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study (CLPS) were assessed with diagnostic interviews.


RESULTS
Within-category inter-relatedness was evaluated by Cronbach's alpha and median intercriterion correlations (MIC). Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.47 to 0.87 (median=0.71); seven of the 10 PDs had alphas greater than 0.70. Between-category criterion overlap was evaluated by "inter-category" intercriterion correlations between all PD pairs (ICMIC). ICMIC values (median=0.08) were lower than MIC values (median=0.23). Diagnostic efficiency statistics (sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive power and negative predictive power were calculated for schizotypal, borderline, avoidant and obsessive-compulsive PDs.


CONCLUSIONS
DSM-IV PD criteria sets have some convergent validity and discriminant validity: criteria for individual PDs correlate better with each other than with criteria for other PDs. Diagnostic efficiency statistics provide guidance regarding usefulness of criteria for inclusion or exclusion.
Grilo
C M
CM
Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Study, Yale University School of Medicine, PO Box 208098, 301 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
McGlashan
T H
TH
Morey
L C
LC
Gunderson
J G
JG
Skodol
A E
AE
Shea
M T
MT
Sanislow
C A
CA
Zanarini
M C
MC
Bender
D
D
Oldham
J M
JM
Dyck
I
I
Stout
R L
RL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003193:Compulsive Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009511:New England / Q000453:epidemiology; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012569:Schizotypal Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology