Cluster B and C Personality Traits, Symptom Correlates, and Treatment Utilization in Postacute Schizophrenia

Abstract

Unusually high levels of Cluster B and C personality traits have been observed in schizophrenia. While these have been linked to poorer function, less clear is the association of these personality traits with symptoms and service utilization. To examine this issue, 46 participants with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were administered the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory, Third Edition, and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, and an inventory was taken of medical and psychiatric service utilization. Two sets of multiple regression analyses using Cluster B and C traits to predict treatment utilization and symptoms revealed that emotional discomfort symptoms were significantly related to level of borderline traits. Higher levels of positive symptoms were linked with more avoidant traits and fewer dependent traits. Higher levels of negative symptoms were linked with greater avoidant traits. Service utilization was predicted by borderline, antisocial, and avoidant traits. Implications for rehabilitation and treatment are discussed.

Clinically significant personality traits in individuals at high risk of developing psychosis

“…Interestingly, HR individuals with clinically significant histrionic traits seemed to present with less intense positive psychotic symptoms than those at HR without these traits. Indeed, previous studies on recent onset psychosis described the same finding, attributing it to more proactive (less isolative) social behaviors and seek for help (Sevilla-Llewellyn-Jones et al, 2017;Wickett et al, 2006).…”

Subjective quality of life in recent onset of psychosis patients and its association with sociodemographic variables, psychotic symptoms and clinical personality traits

“…The use of this instrument is indicated for clinical population (Craig, 2005). There are a few publications that use this instrument in patients with psychosis such as Wickett et al (2006) and ROP patients such as Dalkin, Murphy, Glazebrook, Medley, and Harrison (1994) The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) (Kay, Fiszbein, & Opler, 1987) in its Spanish adaptation (Peralta Martín & Cuesta Zorita, 1994) was used. Patients were assessed by their treating clinician.…”

The experience of treatment of persons with concomitant psychotic and borderline personality disorders

“…Despite the controversy surrounding the existence of individuals with both a psychotic disorder and BPD, the literature consistently finds a prevalence of 10-20% of individuals with a psychotic disorder also having a BPD diagnosis, and a similar prevalence of individuals with BPD meeting the symptomatic criteria for an Axis I psychotic disorder, (Coid et al, 2009;Dowson, Sussams, Grounds, & Taylor, 2000;Glaser, Van Os, Thewissen, & Meyers-Germeys, 2010;Kingdon et al, 2010;Lysaker, Wickett, Lancaster, & Davis, 2004;Nishizono-Maher, Ikuta, Ogiso, Moriya, & Miyake, 1993;Pope, Jonas, Hudson, & Cohen, 1985;Wickett et al, 2006;Zanarini, Gunderson, & Frankenburg, 1990). …”