title: The impact of mental state disorder and personality on social functioning in patients engaged in community mental health care.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess the degree to which mental state disorder and personality disorder impact on social functioning in patients engaged in secondary mental health care in New Zealand.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were interviewed using peer-reviewed instruments able to provide an indication of severity to assess their social functioning, personality status and diagnosis. Univariate correlations and linear regression was used to identify the association between social functioning, mental state disorder and personality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using simple correlations all diagnostic categories associated with declines in social functioning. In the regression analysis depression and personality dysfunction accounted for 48% of the variance in social functioning.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For patients engaged in secondary care, depression and personality dysfunction are significantly associated with poorer social functioning.
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand, and; Honorary Senior Lecturer, Imperial College, London, UK.
authors.forename: Giles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Newton-Howes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D003155:Community Mental Health Centers; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009520:New Zealand; D010361:Patients; D010551:Personality; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000628:therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012919:Social Behavior; D044465:White People
keywords: community mental health teams; depression; personality disorder; social functioning