title: The relationship between concurrent substance use disorders and eating disorders with personality disorders.
abstract: The current pilot study investigated whether patients with concurrent substance use disorders and eating disorders (SUD and ED) who experienced a reduction in SUD and ED symptoms following treatment for SUD and ED also experienced a reduction in personality disorder (PD) symptoms.
  
  
  
  Twenty patients with SUD and ED and PD were assessed pre and post treatment using clinical interviews, self-report questionnaires, and a therapist questionnaire on DSM-IV-TR symptoms for PD.
  
  
  
  Symptoms for the personality disorders were reduced following treatment. This reduction was correlated with a decrease in the number of symptoms of ED at post treatment.
  
  
  
  Chronic concurrent SUD and ED may make it difficult to separate PD symptoms from co-occurring disorders. Many features attributed to PDs may be reduced when problematic substance use and disordered eating are addressed, a fact that may increase clinician and patients'optimism about therapeutic change.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Russell Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2S1 Canada. Christine_Courbasson@camh.net
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Courbasson
authors.forename: Jacqueline M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Brunshaw
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011594:Psychometrics; D011613:Psychotherapy; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult