Comorbid personality impairment in body dysmorphic disorder

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is often associated with significant personality pathology.
• Understanding the nature and extent of personality impairment in BDD is crucial for effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate personality impairment in BDD patients undergoing treatment.
• To assess the reliability and validity of the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Impairment (DAPI) scale.
• To explore the relationship between personality measures and clinical variables in BDD.

Main Methods:

• 17 BDD patients were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM (SCID II) and the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Impairment (DAPI).
• Personality measures were correlated with BDD severity, depressive symptoms, age, illness duration, and treatment response.
• Preliminary validation of the DAPI was conducted.

Main Results:

• BDD patients displayed considerable personality pathology, with a high prevalence of personality disorder diagnoses (mean 2.53) and Cluster C disorders being most common.
• The DAPI showed preliminary evidence of good reliability and validity, with moderate average impairment scores.
• Treatment responders exhibited less personality impairment compared to non-responders.

Conclusions:

• Personality impairment is a significant factor in BDD and may impact treatment outcomes.
• The DAPI appears to be a reliable and valid measure for assessing personality impairment in BDD.
• Personality phenomena in BDD are distinct and dissociable from other clinical variables, despite intercorrelations between personality measures.