title: Personality dysfunction is the cause of recurrent non-cognitive mental disorder: a testable hypothesis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study is to examine the evidence for a new hypothesis explaining the relationship between personality and mental state disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  At present, the attribution of personality disorder as a primary diagnosis only applies to patients who are antisocial, and particularly regarded as psychopathic, as in these patients, the mental state disorder that are associated are regarded in many respects as atypical and not representative of other mental disorders. The case is made in this paper that personality dysfunction lies behind the persistence of all non-cognitive mental disorders and that our failure to recognise this follows from our collective refusal to assess personality status early in life.
  
  
  METHODS
  Narrative review of relevant literature, which is limited as personality status is not often assessed early in life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Support is adduced that personality dysfunction lies behind the persistence of all non-cognitive mental disorders (i.e. those that are not specifically neurodevelopmental and linked to cognitive impairment). The potential importance of this hypothesis is presented with regard to treatment and management strategy, emphasising that without specific intervention for personality dysfunction, many patients are destined for persistent morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Mental Health, Imperial College, London, W6 8RP, UK.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tyrer
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D010556:Personality Tests