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Biomedical subjects

M T Shea

Publications and source records attributed to M T Shea.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Longitudinal diagnostic efficiency of DSM-IV criteria for obsessive-compulsive personality disorder: a 2-year prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the longitudinal diagnostic efficiency of the DSM-IV criteria for obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD). METHOD: At baseline, criteria and diagnoses were determined using diagnostic interviews, and blinded assessments were performed 24 months later with 550 participants. Diagnostic efficiency indices (conditional probabilities, total predictive power, and kappa) were calculated for each criterion determined at baseline, using the independent OCPD diagnosis at follow-up as the standard. RESULTS: Longitudinal diagnostic efficiencies for the OCPD criteria varied; findings suggested the overall predictive utility of 'preoccupied with details', 'rigid and stubborn', and 'reluctant to delegate'. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest the predictive validity of three cognitive-interpersonal OCPD criteria.

Adult↗

Stressful life events as predictors of functioning: findings from the collaborative longitudinal personality disorders study.

OBJECTIVE: Although much attention has been given to the effects of adverse childhood experiences on the development of personality disorders (PDs), we know far less about how recent life events influence the ongoing course of functioning. We examined the extent to which PD subjects differ in rates of life events and the extent to which life events impact psychosocial functioning. METHOD: A total of 633 subjects were drawn from the Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study (CLPS), a multi-site study of four personality disorders--schizotypal (STPD), borderline (BPD), avoidant (AVPD), obsessive-compulsive (OCPD)--and a comparison group of major depressive disorders (MDD) without PD. RESULTS: Borderline personality disorder subjects reported significantly more total negative life events than other PDs or subjects with MDD. Negative events, especially interpersonal events, predicted decreased psychosocial functioning over time. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate higher rates of negative events in subjects with more severe PDs and suggest that negative life events adversely impact multiple areas of psychosocial functioning.

Adolescent↗

Recent developments in research of trauma and personality disorders.

Although the association between trauma and personality disorders, particularly borderline personality disorder (BPD), has been well established, the etiologic role of trauma in the development of personality disorders has been a topic of debate. Numerous mediation models have been put forth to explain how trauma can serve as a risk factor for the subsequent development of BPD. The symptomatic overlap between the proposed complex post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosis and BPD has fueled research efforts aimed at determining whether these are distinct disorders or should both be considered as trauma spectrum disorders. Treatment implications of this diagnostic differentiation are discussed.

Borderline Personality Disorder↗

Internal consistency, intercriterion overlap and diagnostic efficiency of criteria sets for DSM-IV schizotypal, borderline, avoidant and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate performance characteristics of DSM-IV Personality Disorders (PDs) criteria. METHOD: Six hundred and sixty-eight adults recruited for the Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study (CLPS) were assessed with diagnostic interviews. RESULTS: Within-category inter-relatedness was evaluated by Cronbach's alpha and median intercriterion correlations (MIC). Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.47 to 0.87 (median=0.71); seven of the 10 PDs had alphas greater than 0.70. Between-category criterion overlap was evaluated by "inter-category" intercriterion correlations between all PD pairs (ICMIC). ICMIC values (median=0.08) were lower than MIC values (median=0.23). Diagnostic efficiency statistics (sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive power and negative predictive power were calculated for schizotypal, borderline, avoidant and obsessive-compulsive PDs. CONCLUSION: DSM-IV PD criteria sets have some convergent validity and discriminant validity: criteria for individual PDs correlate better with each other than with criteria for other PDs. Diagnostic efficiency statistics provide guidance regarding usefulness of criteria for inclusion or exclusion.

Adolescent↗

Treatment utilization by patients with personality disorders.

OBJECTIVE: Utilization of mental health treatment was compared in patients with personality disorders and patients with major depressive disorder without personality disorder. METHOD: Semistructured interviews were used to assess diagnosis and treatment history of 664 patients in four representative personality disorder groups-schizotypal, borderline, avoidant, and obsessive-compulsive-and in a comparison group of patients with major depressive disorder. RESULTS: Patients with personality disorders had more extensive histories of psychiatric outpatient, inpatient, and psychopharmacologic treatment than patients with major depressive disorder. Compared to the depression group, patients with borderline personality disorder were significantly more likely to have received every type of psychosocial treatment except self-help groups, and patients with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder reported greater utilization of individual psychotherapy. Patients with borderline personality disorder were also more likely to have used antianxiety, antidepressant, and mood stabilizer medications, and those with borderline or schizotypal personality disorder had a greater likelihood of having received antipsychotic medications. Patients with borderline personality disorder had received greater amounts of treatment, except for family/couples therapy and self-help, than the depressed patients and patients with other personality disorders. CONCLUSIONS: These results underscore the importance of considering personality disorders in diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric patients. Borderline and schizotypal personality disorder are associated with extensive use of mental health resources, and other, less severe personality disorders may not be addressed sufficiently in treatment planning. More work is needed to determine whether patients with personality disorders are receiving adequate and appropriate mental health treatments.

Adolescent↗

Patterns of personality pathology in patients with generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder with and without agoraphobia, and social phobia.

The relationship between co-occurring personality disorders and anxiety disorders (panic disorder with or without agoraphobia, social phobia, and generalized anxiety disorder) was examined, taking into account the effect of major depression. This article describes findings for 622 participants in the Harvard/Brown Anxiety Research Project, a longitudinal follow-up study of DSM-III-R-defined anxiety disorders. A total of 24% of participants had at least one personality disorder, with avoidant, obsessive compulsive, dependent, and borderline most common. Generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, and major depression were positively associated with the occurrence of one or more personality disorders, whereas panic disorder with agoraphobia was not associated. Major depression was associated in particular with dependent, borderline, histrionic, and obsessive compulsive personality disorders and social phobia was associated with avoidant personality disorder. Whereas some of our findings confirm results from earlier studies, others are somewhat inconsistent with previous results and indicate the need for further investigation.

Adult↗

The relationship between comorbid personality disorders and treatment received in patients with anxiety disorders.

Few studies have addressed the relationship between the presence of a comorbid personality disorder and the amount of psychiatric treatment received by patients with an Axis I disorder. This issue has not been studied in patients with anxiety disorders. In a prospective, naturalistic, longitudinal study of anxiety disorders, 526 subjects were assessed with the Personality Disorder Examination, and types of treatment received in 1991 and 1996 were identified. In 1991, compared to subjects without a personality disorder, subjects with a personality disorder were as likely to receive medication and they received a greater number of medications. Subjects with borderline personality disorder were more likely to receive heterocyclic antidepressants and interventions characteristic of psychodynamic psychotherapy and cognitive therapy; they also reported receiving a greater number of medications and types of psychosocial treatment than other subjects. In 1996, subjects with borderline personality disorder were more likely to receive psychodynamic interventions. These findings suggest that in patients with an anxiety disorder, the presence of a comorbid personality disorder is associated with receiving a greater number of medications but not with a greater likelihood of receiving pharmacologic or psychosocial treatment. However, the presence of borderline personality disorder is associated with a greater likelihood of receiving, and receiving a greater number of, certain types of somatic and psychosocial treatments.

Adult↗

The Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study: baseline Axis I/II and II/II diagnostic co-occurrence.

OBJECTIVE: To describe baseline diagnostic co-occurrence in the Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study. METHOD: Six hundred and sixty-eight patients were reliably assessed with diagnostic interviews for DSM-IV Axis I and II disorders to create five groups: Schizotypal (STPD), Borderline (BPD), Avoidant (AVPD), Obsessive-Compulsive (OCPD) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) without personality disorder (PD). RESULTS: Mean number of Axis I lifetime diagnoses was 3.4; STPD and BPD groups had more diagnoses than AVPD, OCPD, and MDD groups. Significant Axis I co-occurrences emerged for Social Phobia/ AVPD, PTSD/BPD and Substance Use/BPD. Mean number of co-occurring PDs was 1.4; STPD had more than BPD group which had more than AVPD and OCPD groups. Significant PD co-occurrence emerged for: STPD/ Paranoid and Schizoid PDs, BPD with Antisocial and Dependent PDs, and lower frequency for OCPD/Antisocial PD. CONCLUSION: Diagnostic co-occurrences generally followed base rates, while significant departures resemble those of controlled literature.

Follow-Up Studies↗

Multiple recurrences of major depressive disorder.

OBJECTIVE: The authors of this study examined multiple recurrences of unipolar major depressive disorder. METHOD: A total of 318 subjects with unipolar major depressive disorder were prospectively followed for 10 years within a multicenter naturalistic study. Survival analytic techniques were used to examine the probability of recurrence after recovery from the index episode. RESULTS: The mean number of episodes of major depression per year of follow-up was 0. 21, and nearly two-thirds of the subjects suffered at least one recurrence. The number of lifetime episodes of major depression was significantly associated with the probability of recurrence, such that the risk of recurrence increased by 16% with each successive recurrence. The risk of recurrence progressively decreased as the duration of recovery increased. Within subjects, there was very little consistency in the time to recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Major depressive disorder is a highly recurrent illness. The risk of the recurrence of major depressive disorder progressively increases with each successive episode and decreases as the duration of recovery increases.

Adolescent↗

The Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study: reliability of axis I and II diagnoses.

Both the interrater and test-retest-retest reliability of axis I and axis II disorders were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I) and the Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV Personality Disorders (DIPD-IV). Fair-good median interrater kappa (.40-.75) were found for all axis II disorders diagnosed five times or more, except antisocial personality disorder (1.0). All of the test-retest kappa for axis II disorders, except for narcissistic personality disorder (1.0) and paranoid personality disorder (.39), were also found to be fair-good. Interrater and test-retest dimensional reliability figures for axis II were generally higher than those for their categorical counterparts; most were in the excellent range (> .75). In terms of axis I, excellent median interrater kappa were found for six of the 10 disorders diagnosed five times or more, whereas fair-good median interrater kappa were found for the other four axis I disorders. In general, test-retest reliability figures for axis I disorders were somewhat lower than the interrater reliability figures. Three test-retest kappa were in the excellent range, six were in the fair-good range, and one (for dysthymia) was in the poor range (.35). Taken together, the results of this study suggest that both axis I and axis II disorders can be diagnosed reliably when using appropriate semistructured interviews. They also suggest that the reliability of axis II disorders is roughly equivalent to that reliability found for most axis I disorders.

Diagnosis, Differential↗

The Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study: development, aims, design, and sample characteristics.

This paper describes the aims, background, design, and methods used in a collaborative longitudinal study of Axis II personality disorders (PDs). This study examines the putative stability of selected PD diagnoses and criteria, what factors affect their course, and whether their stability and course distinguishes them from a representative Axis I disorder. This article also describes the acquisition and demographics of the sample on whom the study is being done. A prospective, repeated measures investigation of the stability of PDs is now underway at multiple clinical settings in four collaborating urban sites in Boston. New Haven, New York, and Providence. Diagnostic assignments are based on semistructured interview assessments (by clinically trained raters) and confirmed by at least one additional contrasting diagnostic method. The sample consists of 668 treatment seeking and reliably diagnosed adults recruited from a broad range of clinical sites. By design, patients in the sample met standards for one of five diagnostic subgroups: (a) schizotypal (N = 86); (b) borderline (N = 175); (c) avoidant (N = 157); (d) obsessive-compulsive (N = 153) personality disorders or a control group having (e) major depressive disorder without personality disorder (N = 97).

Adolescent↗

Personality disorders: a discussion of current status and future directions for research, practice, and policy.

This article is the result of a panel discussion on future directions in personality disorders held at the 1998 Meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research in Snowbird Utah. Three experts in the field of personality disorders were invited to participate in a dialogue on priorities and directions for research, practice, and policy in this area. Topics discussed amongst the panelists included the following: 1) relevance of psychotherapy process research for treatments of personality disorders, and potential fruitful directions for such research; 2) what has been learned from outcome research in treatment of personality disorders, and directions for such research that are likely to be most productive in improving treatments; 3) the extent to which research has influenced clinical practice and how existing gaps might be addressed; 4) policy questions related to payment for treatment of personality disorders.

Evidence-Based Medicine↗

Chronicity in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and predictors of course of comorbid PTSD in patients with anxiety disorders.

The purpose of this study was to examine the course of comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 54 patients with another anxiety disorder. Using a prospective longitudinal design, the present study found that during the first 5 years of follow-up the probability of full remission from a chronic episode of PTSD was .18. Findings from this and other research confirm clinical impressions that a substantial number of people never fully remit from their PTSD even after many years. Variables associated with a longer time to remit from an episode of chronic PTSD were a history of alcohol abuse and a history of childhood trauma.

Adult↗

Commonality and specificity of personality disorder profiles in subjects with trauma histories.

Recently, attention has been drawn to a range of disturbances in personality functioning that commonly characterize individuals with a history of severe or prolonged trauma. Many of these features overlap with criteria for some of the Axis II personality disorders. The current study investigated the similarity of personality disorder features in different samples of patients with trauma histories, and specificity of such features compared to other psychiatric samples. Profiles of Axis II features, based on relative frequencies of individual disorder "diagnoses" derived from a common measure (Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire-Revised), were compared in three trauma samples: male Vietnam combat veterans with PTSD, female inpatients with a history of childhood sexual abuse, and female outpatients with a history of childhood sexual abuse. The PDQ-R derived profiles in each of the three trauma samples were then compared with similar PDQ-R derived profiles in published reports of psychiatric samples selected for other diagnoses. Each of the three Spearman rank correlations among the three trauma samples were significant, ranging from .72 to .94. There was a clear pattern of higher correlations within the trauma samples (average correlation of .81) than between the trauma and nontrauma samples (average correlations of .11, .36, and .25 between the nontrauma samples and the combat sample, inpatient sexual abuse sample, and outpatient sexual abuse sample, respectively). The findings suggest that a pattern of personality disorder features may be distinctly associated with individuals with trauma histories, at least of the type examined here. Future studies using more clinically valid measures of personality features and including other types of trauma samples are needed to determine the generalizability of the current findings. Also needed are studies with longitudinal designs to address questions of causal pathways that may underlie such associations.

Adult↗

Co-occurrence of mood and personality disorders: a report from the Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study (CLPS).

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of subtypes and particular clinical features of mood disorders to co-occurrence with specific personality disorders. Five hundred and seventy-one subjects recruited for the Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study (CLPS) were assessed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I) and the Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV Personality Disorders (DIPD-IV). Percent co-occurrence rates for current and lifetime mood disorders with personality disorders were calculated. Logistic regression analyses examined the effects of clinical characteristics of depressive disorders (e.g., age at onset, recurrence, symptom severity, double depression, and atypical features) on personality disorder co-occurrence. In comparison with other DSM-IV personality disorders, avoidant, borderline, and dependent personality disorders (PDs) were most specifically associated with mood disorders, particularly depressive disorders. Severity and recurrence of major depressive disorder and comorbid dysthymic disorder predicted co-occurrence with borderline and to a lesser extent research criteria depressive personality disorders. The results are consistent with the view that a mood disorder with an insidious onset and recurrence, chronicity, and progression in severity leads to a personality disorder diagnosis in young adults.

Adolescent↗

Does the gender of a patient or the gender of a therapist affect the treatment of patients with major depression?

The role of gender was examined in the process and outcome of therapy in the treatment of depressed outpatients seen in the National Institute of Mental Health Treatment of Depression Collaborative Research Program. Patients received either interpersonal therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, imipramine plus clinical management, or placebo plus clinical management. None of the therapist-patient by gender groupings (i.e., therapist gender, therapist-patient gender matching vs. mismatching, or patients' beliefs about whether a male or female therapist would be more helpful) were significantly related to measures of treatment process and outcome, controlling for type of treatment and severity of pretreatment depressive symptoms. Findings were duplicated when examining the effects of gender within only the psychotherapeutic modes of treatment for the groupings of therapist gender and therapist-patient gender matching versus mismatching.

Adult↗

Recovery from major depression. A 10-year prospective follow-up across multiple episodes.

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder is often marked by repeated episodes of depression. We describe recovery from major depression across multiple mood episodes in patients with unipolar major depression at intake and examine the association of sociodemographic and clinical variables with duration of illness. METHODS: A cohort of 258 subjects treated for unipolar major depressive disorder was followed up prospectively for 10 years as part of the Collaborative Depression Study, a multicenter naturalistic study of the mood disorders. Diagnoses were made according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria, and the course of illness was assessed with the Longitudinal Interval Follow-up Evaluation. Survival analyses were used to calculate the duration of illness for the first 5 recurrent mood episodes after recovery from the index episode. RESULTS: Diagnosis remained unipolar major depressive disorder for 235 subjects (91%). The median duration of illness was 22 weeks for the first recurrent mood episode, 20 weeks for the second, 21 weeks for the third, and 19 weeks for the fourth and fifth recurrent mood episodes; the 95% confidence intervals were highly consistent. From one episode to the next, the proportion of subjects who recovered by any one time point was similar. For subjects with 2 or more recoveries, the consistency of duration of illness from one recovery to the next was low to moderate. None of the sociodemographic or clinical variables consistently predicted duration of illness. CONCLUSION: In this sample of patients treated at tertiary care centers for major depressive disorder, the duration of recurrent mood episodes was relatively uniform and averaged approximately 20 weeks.

Adult↗