Journal Article

Patterns of personality disorders in women with chronic eating disorders

Hellzén, M., Larsson, J.-O.

2004

Overview

The aim of this study was to describe patterns of personality disorders (PDs) in women with chronic eating disorders (EDs). An index group of nineteen women who have had EDs for an average of 8.5 years was compared with a control group of same-aged women from the general population. At the time of the study the index group received treatment at a tertiary treatment center in Stockholm. The PDs were assessed using the DSM-IV part of the DSM-IV and ICD-10 Personality Questionnaire (DIP-Q). In the index group, eighteen of nineteen fulfilled the criteria for one or more PD. The number of PD diagnoses for each women ranged from zero (n = 1) to eight (n = 2) with a median of three. Among the controls, only one woman fulfilled the criteria for one or more PD. The most prevalent disorders in the index group were Borderline, Avoidant, and Obsessive-Compulsive. The index group had significantly higher DIP-Q dimensional scores than the controls in the Paranoid, Schizoid, Schizotypal, Borderline, Histrionic, Avoidant, and Dependent scales. Although the assessment of PD symptoms was limited to self-reports, the high prevalence of PD diagnoses and PD symptoms most probably reflects the severe psychiatric impairments in patients suffering from chronic ED.

• Publisher: Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Adult / Borderline Personality Disorder - diagnosis / Borderline Personality Disorder - epidemiology / Borderline Personality Disorder - psychology / Chronic Disease / Dependent Personality Disorder - diagnosis / Dependent Personality Disorder - epidemiology / Dependent Personality Disorder - psychology / Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders / Eating disorders / Feeding and Eating Disorders - diagnosis / Feeding and Eating Disorders - epidemiology / Feeding and Eating Disorders - psychology / Female / Humans / International Classification of Diseases / Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - diagnosis / Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - epidemiology / Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - psychology / Personality disorders / Personality Disorders - diagnosis / Personality Disorders - epidemiology / Personality Disorders - psychology / Personality Inventory / Prevalence / Schizoid Personality Disorder - diagnosis / Schizoid Personality Disorder - epidemiology / Schizoid Personality Disorder - psychology / Schizophrenia, Paranoid - diagnosis / Schizophrenia, Paranoid - epidemiology / Schizophrenia, Paranoid - psychology / Severity of Illness Index