PERSONALITY-DISORDERS IN FIRST-EPISODE AND MULTIPLE-EPISODE MANIA

We compared rates of DSM-III-R personality disorders in 33 first-episo de and 26 multiple-episode bipolar patients. Patients were evaluated w ith the patient and personality disorders versions of the Structured C linical Interview for DSM-III-R. Significantly more multiple-episode p atients (65%) met DSM-III-R criteria for a personality disorder than d id first-episode patients (33%). Race was also associated with a diagn osis of a personality disorder. Personality disorders may be associate d with multiple affective episodes in bipolar patients.