AN EXAMINATION OF THE ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN LIFE PROBLEMS AND PSYCHIATRIC-DISORDERS IN A RURAL PATIENT POPULATION

The objective of this clinical study was to examine the differential e ffects of adversity on pathology. Data obtained from a previously desc ribed consecutive series of 707 patients was re-analysed to this effec t. A series of specific life events, as well as behaviours that were l ikely to be secondary to psychiatric disorder, were examined. High rat es of life problems such as incest, sexual assault, domestic violence, suicide attempts, and alcohol, tranquilliser and substance abuse were found in the group of patients in general. There were no major differ ences in the prevalence of these problems in patients with major funct ional disorders, anxiety disorders, short-lived minor psychiatric diso rders, or in ''control'' patients with no primary Axis I or Axis II di agnosis. Patients with personality disorders as their major psychiatri c diagnosis did, however, experience higher levels of the majority of these problems. The clinical implications of the findings are discusse d. It is concluded that patients who develop chronic psychiatric illne sses are probably more psychologically or biologically vulnerable than those patients who develop short-lived disorders and who do not achie ve a major psychiatric diagnosis from the practising clinician.