PERSONALITY-DISORDER AND ASSAULT HISTORY IN SUBSTANCE-DEPENDENT INDIVIDUALS

The authors explored the relationship between assault, substance use d isorders, and personality disorders by interviewing 82 substance-depen dent inpatients with a structured interview concerning physical and se xual assault as well as the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III- R, parts I and II. Sixty percent of subjects met criteria for a person ality disorder. Individuals who had experienced assault (n = 43) were more likely to have all types of personality disorder diagnoses (P les s than or equal to 0.001). Those who reported childhood assault were m ore likely to have Cluster B personality disorders and to meet criteri a for more than two personality disorder diagnoses (P less than or equ al to 0.05) compared with those who reported adult assault only. Perso nality disorders were commonly diagnosed in this group of treatment-se eking, substance-dependent individuals. The effect of substance abuse as well as assault on the development and presentation of personality disorders is likely to be substantial.