title: Personality disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder in motor vehicle accident survivors.
abstract: This study examined the impact of a co-occurring personality disorder on the development and remission of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 158 motor vehicle accident (MVA) survivors followed prospectively for 1 year. Participants were assessed 1 to 4 months after trauma and at 6-month and 1-year follow-up evaluations during 1991 through 1993. These archival data were analyzed in the present study. The prevalence of at least one personality disorder was 13.3%, with the majority (52.4%) presenting with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. Persons with a personality disorder were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with PTSD at 1-year follow-up evaluation. For persons diagnosed with PTSD at the initial assessment, those with a personality disorder were significantly less likely to remit by 1 year. The presence of a preexisting personality disorder may increase the risk of chronic PTSD and impede remission.
authors.affiliation: Center for Stress and Anxiety Disorders, University of Albany, State University of New York, 1535 Western Ave., Albany, New York 12203, USA.
authors.forename: Loretta S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Malta
authors.forename: Edward B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Blanchard
authors.forename: Ann E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Hickling
authors.forename: Brian M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Freidenberg
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000523:psychology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*