Predictors of comorbid personality disorders in patients with panic disorder with agoraphobia

The aim of this study was to ascertain predictors of comorbid personality d isorders in patients with panic disorder with agoraphobia (PDAG). Sixty con secutive outpatients with PDAG were administered the Structured Clinical In terview for DSM-IV Axis II Personality Disorders (SCID-II) for the purpose of diagnosing personality disorders. Logistic regressions were used to iden tify predictors of any comorbid personality disorder, any DSM-IV cluster A, cluster B, and cluster C personality disorder. Independent variables in th ese regressions were gender, age, duration of panic disorder (PD), severity of PDAG, and scores on self-report instruments that assess the patient's p erception of their parents, childhood separation anxiety, and traumatic exp eriences. High levels of parental protection on the Parental Bonding Instru ment (PBI), indicating a perception of the parents as overprotective and co ntrolling, emerged as the only statistically significant predictor of any c omorbid personality disorder. This finding was attributed to the associatio n between parental overprotection and cluster B personality disorders, part icularly borderline personality disorder. The duration of PD was a signific ant predictor of any cluster B and any cluster C personality disorder, sugg esting that some of the cluster B and cluster C personality disorders may b e a consequence of the long-lasting PDAG. Any cluster B personality disorde r was also associated with younger age. In conclusion, despite a generally nonspecific nature of the relationship between parental overprotection in c hildhood and adult psychopathology, the findings of this study suggest some specificity for the association between parental overprotection in childho od and personality disturbance in PDAG patients, particularly cluster B per sonality disorders. Copyright (C) 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company.