Self-reported personality disorders in patients with schizophrenia and therelationship to symptoms, side effects, and social functioning

In a national, naturalistic, point prevalence, multicenter study, patients with schizophrenic syndromes were studied with regard to self-reported pers onality disorders, symptoms, side effects, and social functioning. Ninety-o ne of 116 patients with a schizophrenic syndrome responded to the DSM-TV an d the ICD-10 Personality Questionnaire (DIP-Q). In total, 43 of the patient s (47%) fulfilled the criteria for one or more personality disorders. The m ost common personality disorders found were in cluster C and in cluster A-4 4% and 34%, respectively. Comorbidity between and within clusters was high. Personality-disordered patients displayed significantly more negative, anx ious/depressive, and cognitive symptoms than patients without personality d isorders. Sex, age, duration of illness, and extrapyramidal side effects on the basis of the Extrapyramidal Side effect Rating Scale (ESRS) did not di ffer between the groups. However, psychic side effects, measured with the U KU (Utvalg for Kliniske Undersokelser) Side Effect Rating Scale were signif icantly more common in the group of patients with self-reported personality disorders. Social functioning rated by a modified version of the Strauss-C arpenter rating scale and the Global Assessment of Functioning scale (GAF) did not differ between the groups.