The researchers found that risk of having avoidant, dependent, and paranoid personality disorders is greater for females than males, whereas risk of having antisocial personality disorder is greater for males than females. They found no gender differences in the risk of having obsessive-compulsive, schizoid, or histrionic personality disorders. In general, other risk factors for personality disorders included being Native American or Black, being a young adult, having low socioeconomic status, and being divorced, separated, widowed, or never married. With the exception of histrionic personality disorder, all the personality disorders assessed in the survey were associated with considerable emotional disability and impairment in social and occupational functioning.
“The first-time availability of prevalence information on personality disorders at the national level is critically important,” said Dr. Ting-Kai Li, M.D., Director, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. “Personality disorders consistently have been associated with substantial impairment and decreased psychological functioning among alcohol and drug abusers.”
“The NESARC was crucial in determining the scope of personality disorders confronting the nation and in identifying important subgroups of the population in greatest need of prevention efforts,” said lead author Bridget F. Grant, Ph.D., Ph.D., Chief, Laboratory of Epidemiology and Biometry, Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research, NIAAA.
Full text of the article is available from the NIAAA Press Office or to subscribers at www.psychiatrist.com. For interviews with Dr. Li or Dr. Grant, please call the NIAAA Press Office.