title: Sex Bias in Classifying Borderline and Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
abstract: This study investigated sex bias in the classification of borderline and narcissistic personality disorders. A sample of psychologists in training for a post-master degree (N = 180) read brief case histories (male or female version) and made DSM classification. To differentiate sex bias due to sex stereotyping or to base rate variation, we used different case histories, respectively: (1) non-ambiguous case histories with enough criteria of either borderline or narcissistic personality disorder to meet the threshold for classification, and (2) an ambiguous case with subthreshold features of both borderline and narcissistic personality disorder. Results showed significant differences due to sex of the patient in the ambiguous condition. Thus, when the diagnosis is not straightforward, as in the case of mixed subthreshold features, sex bias is present and is influenced by base-rate variation. These findings emphasize the need for caution in classifying personality disorders, especially borderline or narcissistic traits.
authors.affiliation: *Mental Health Institute Reinier van Arkel, 's-Hertogenbosch; †Maastricht University; ‡Tilburg University; §University of Amsterdam; and ∥Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wouter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Braamhorst
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lobbestael
authors.forename: Wilco H M
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Emons
authors.forename: Arnoud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arntz
authors.forename: Cilia L M
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Witteman
authors.forename: Marrie H J
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Bekker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011586:Psychology, Clinical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012737:Sex Factors; D063507:Sexism / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult