Gender differences in the frequency of personality disorders in depressed outpatients

We examined gender differences in the frequency of DSM-III-R personality di sorder diagnoses and symptomatology in a sample of 225 depressed outpatient s. This research partially replicates and extends one of the first studies in this area by Golomb et al, (1995). Males were significantly more likely than females to meet diagnoses for schizotypal, paranoid, narcissistic, ant isocial, obsessive compulsive, and borderline personality disorder. Compare d to females, males were also significantly more likely to have schizoid, s chizotypal, narcissistic, antisocial, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder symptomatology. Females did not predominate in any personality dis order symptomatology or diagnoses. A possible explanation for these finding s is discussed. The results of this study challenge traditional assumptions about gender differences in the frequency of personality disorders, and co nfirm the need for future studies to investigate the relation between gende r and personality disorders in specific Axis I samples.