Clinicians' practices in personality assessment: does gender influence the use of DSM-III axis II?

We assessed clinicians' practices in the process of personality assessment according to DSM-III axis II criteria. Forty-six clinicians rated personality traits and disorders on two versions of a clinical profile constructed to meet DSM-III axis II diagnoses of histrionic, narcissistic, borderline, and dependent, differing only in the sex of the patient. Clinicians tended to use only a single diagnostic category and to make significantly different personality attributions and diagnoses depending on the patient's sex. The sex of the clinician had no impact on the process. We conclude that clinicians viewing a case study tend to make global judgments about personality disorders and are influenced by the patient's gender, even when it has no known relevance. We interpret these findings in terms of critical set theory.