Concurrent and predictive validity of the personality disorder diagnosis in adolescent inpatients

Objective: The authors investigated the concurrent and predictive validity of the DSM-III-R diagnosis of personality disorder in adolescents by means of baseline and follow-up assessments of inpatients treated at the Yale Psy chiatric Institute. Method: One hundred sixty-five hospitalized adolescents were reliably assessed by using a structured interview for personality dis order diagnoses as well as two measures of impairment and distress-the Glob al Assessment of Functioning Scale and the SCL-90-R. Two years after initia l assessment, 101 subjects were independently reassessed with the same meas ures; their functioning was also assessed at this time. Results: At:baselin e, adolescents with personality disorders were significantly more impaired than those without personality disorders. At follow-up, adolescents with a personality disorder diagnosis at baseline had used significantly more drug s and had required more inpatient treatment during the follow-up interval. Over time, the scores on the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale and SCL -90-R of adolescents diagnosed with a personality disorder at baseline beca me more similar to the scores of adolescents without a personality disorder . Conclusions: The diagnosis of personality disorder in adolescent inpatien ts has good concurrent validity; however, the predictive validity of the di agnosis is mixed.