Impaired Social Function and Symptoms of Personality Disorders Assessed by Peer and Self-Report in a Nonclinical Population

Abstract

Data regarding the connection between personality disorders (PDs) and impaired social functioning are often difficult to interpret because both sets of variables are influenced by depressed mood and both are usually assessed using self-report instruments. We studied PD symptoms in a nonclinical population and examined whether these symptoms are associated with social dysfunction, after controlling for current mental state. Participants were 577 undergraduate students who completed self-report measures of social functioning, PD symptoms, depression, and anxiety, as well as a peer-report PD inventory. As expected, self-reported PD scores and social dysfunction were both correlated with current levels of anxiety and depression. Both self- and peer-reported PD symptoms contributed to the prediction of level of social functioning above and beyond the influence of depressed mood. Overall, our results complement those from clinical samples and provide further evidence that there is an association between PD traits and impaired social functioning.

Personality disorder in social networks: Network position as a marker of interpersonal dysfunction

“…In addition, most measures of social functioning (e.g., the Social Adjustment Scale; Weissman & Bothwell, 1976) are based on self-report. Research that compares self-report of personality with self-report of social functioning may be capitalizing on method variance, making results difficult to interpret (Oltmanns, Melley, & Turkheimer, 2002). …”

The Clinical Significance of Single Features of Borderline Personality Disorder: Anger, Affective Instability, Impulsivity, and Chronic Emptiness in Psychiatric Outpatients

“…Consistent with this view, a number of studies suggest that subclinical manifestations of borderline personality are associated with impairments in functioning among those not seeking psychiatric treatment. Findings cover several diverse domains of functioning, such as marital and romantic relationships (Daley, Burge, & Hammen, 2000;Hill et al, 2011;Selby, Braithwaite, Joiner, & Fincham, 2008;Whisman & Schonbrun, 2009), employment (Sansone, Leung, & Wiederman, 2012Sansone & Wiederman, 2013), physical health (Powers & Oltmanns, 2012), and academic, interpersonal, and social pursuits (Bagge et al, 2004;Oltmanns, Melley, & Turkheimer, 2002;Powers, Gleason, & Oltmanns, 2013).…”

Adolescent Personality Disorders and Conflict with Romantic Partners During the Transition to Adulthood

“…Furthermore, the association of PDs with romantic partner conflict merits investigation because Axis II disorders are known to be associated with aggressive behavior, interpersonal conflict, and poor social functioning (Benjamin & Wonderlich, 1994;Bernstein et al, 1993;Johnson et al, 2000aJohnson et al, , 2000bJohnson, Chen, & Cohen, in press;Kooiman & Spinhoven, 1996;Matano & Locke, 1995;Oltmanns, Melley, & Turkheimer, 2002;Pincus & Wiggins, 1990;Quinton, Gulliver, & Rutter, 1995;Trull, Useda, Conforti, Doan, 1997). PDs are associated with marital difficulties, and marital separation or divorce (Flick, Roy-Byme, Cowley, Shores, & Dunner, 1993;Reich, Yates, & Nduaguba, 1989;Samuels, Nestadt, Romanoski, Folstein, & McHugh, 1994;Truant, 1994;Zimmerman & Coryell, 1989).…”