Change in personality status in neurotic disorders.
Personality disorders are generally thought not to change by much over time. We assessed the personality status of 202 patients who had a defined diagnostic and statistical manual (DSM)-III neurotic disorder, dysthymia, panic disorder, or generalised anxiety. All patients had had drug and psychological treatment in a randomised controlled trial. 12 years after entry to the study, we reassessed the personality status of 178 (88%) of these patients using the same test (personality assessment schedule). The personality traits of patients in the cluster B flamboyant group (antisocial, histrionic) became significantly less pronounced over 12 years, but those in the cluster A odd, eccentric group (schizoid, schizotypal, paranoid), and the cluster C anxious, fearful group (obsessional, avoidant) became more pronounced. The measure of agreement between baseline and 12-year personality clusters was poor or slight (kappa=0.14, 95% CI 0.04-0.23). Our results suggest that the assumption that personality characteristics do not change with time is incorrect.
Seivewright
Helen
H
Department of Public Mental Health, Imperial College of Science, Technology, and Medicine and Medical Research Council Unit, Cambridge, UK.
Tyrer
Peter
P
Johnson
Tony
T
D000328:Adult; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology*; D012923:Social Class; D013997:Time Factors