Prospective assessment of treatment use by patients with personality disorders.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined the utilization of mental health treatments over a three-year period among patients with schizotypal, borderline, avoidant, or obsessive-compulsive personality disorders compared with patients with major depressive disorder and no personality disorder.


METHODS
A prospective, longitudinal study design was used to measure treatment use for 633 individuals aged 18 to 45 years during a three-year period.


RESULTS
Patients with borderline personality disorder were significantly more likely than those with major depressive disorder to use most types of treatment. Furthermore, all patients continued using high-intensity, low-duration treatments throughout the study period, whereas individual psychotherapy attendance declined significantly after one year.


CONCLUSIONS
Although our data showed that patients with borderline personality disorder used more mental health services than those with major depressive disorder, many questions remain about the adequacy of the treatment received by all patients with personality disorders.
Bender
Donna S
DS
Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, New York 10032, USA. benderd@pi.cpmc.columbia.edu
Skodol
Andrew E
AE
Pagano
Maria E
ME
Dyck
Ingrid R
IR
Grilo
Carlos M
CM
Shea
M Tracie
MT
Sanislow
Charles A
CA
Zanarini
Mary C
MC
Yen
Shirley
S
McGlashan
Thomas H
TH
Gunderson
John G
JG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010552:Personality Assessment; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies