DSM-III personality disorders in obsessive-compulsive disorder: changes with treatment

Twenty-seven patients meeting DSM-III diagnostic criteria for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) completed the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire (PDQ; a self-rating scale designed to assess the axis II personality disorders [PDs] from the DSM-III) before and after 12 weeks of treatment with clomipramine. Treatment was accompanied with reduction on several personality variables, including the number of personality diagnoses assigned, the distribution of traits in the sample, and the number of items endorsed in each personality category. The data also showed that improvement in personality functioning was significantly greater in responders compared with nonresponders or partial responders. Further investigation of the relationship between personality and treatment outcome did not provide strong support for the notion that personality factors may have prognostic significance in the treatment of OCD. These findings suggest similarities and differences with panic/agoraphobia which are briefly discussed.