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The Edinburgh Primary Care Depression Study: Personality Disorder and Outcome

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Douglas A. Patience ,
Ralph J. McGuire ,
Allan I. F. Scott  and
Christopher P. L. Freeman
Douglas A. Patience*
Affiliation:
Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh EH 10 5HF
Ralph J. McGuire
Affiliation:
Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh EH 10 5HF
Allan I. F. Scott
Affiliation:
Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh EH 10 5HF
Christopher P. L. Freeman
Affiliation:
Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh EH 10 5HF
*
Dr Patience, Clinical Research Fellow, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Terrace, Edinburgh EH10 5HF
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Abstract

Background

Little is known about the impact of personality pathology on the treatment outcome of major depressive illness in primary care in the UK.

Method

Patients meeting criteria for DSM–III major depressive disorder were randomly allocated to one of four treatments each lasting 16 weeks, then followed up for 18 months. Assessments were made of depressive symptoms, personality and social functioning. Personality was assessed at maximum improvement or 16 weeks.

Results

The prevalence of personality disorder (PD) in the sample of 113 patients was 26%. Patients with a PD were significantly younger and rated more depressed at entry than patients with no personality disorder (NoPD). On completion of treatment patients with a PD were significantly more depressed and had poorer social functioning than the NoPD group. After 18 months there were no differences in ratings of depression or social functioning between the groups.

Conclusions

There was substantial improvement in both the PD and NoPD groups. The presence of personality pathology delays recovery from major depressive illness.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 167 , Issue 3 , September 1995 , pp. 324 - 330
Copyright
Copyright © 1995 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

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