PERSONALITY-DISORDER SYMPTOMS AND FUNCTIONING IN ELDERLY DEPRESSED-PATIENTS

The authors evaluated the relationship of personality disorder symptom s to disability and social and interpersonal functioning in geriatric depression. Measures of personality disorder and cognitive, affective, social, interpersonal, medical, socioeconomic factors, and instrument al activities of daily living (IADL) status were administered to 47 el derly patients at various levels of remission from major depression. T otal personality disorder scores were inversely associated with IADL, sociability, and presence of a satisfying relationship, both along and in interaction with depression. The associations between personality disorder and functioning were most prominent in subjects with low resi dual depression. Symptoms of personality disorder in elderly patients may be associated with disability and impaired social and interpersona l functioning after an acute depressive episode; personality disorder symptoms may also have treatment implications for geriatric depression .