Incarcerated youth with personality disorders: prevalence, comorbidity and convergent validity

The aims of this study were to examine the prevalence and comorbidities of personality disorders among incarcerated juveniles and to investigate the validity of these results.

A sample of 790 incarcerated youth (650 boys and 140 girls; mean age = 16.8 years) completed an assessment of Axis II diagnoses (Structured Interview for DSM-IV Personality). Subjects also completed secondary questionnaires assessing anger-irritability (Youth Self-Report (YSR)), aggression (YSR), delinquency (Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-2), and distress and restraint (Weinberger Adjustment Inventory).

Personality disorders can be found among incarcerated youth at high rates. Many meet the criteria for more than one personality disorder. Those with personality disorders have significant elevations of anger-irritability, aggression, delinquency, and distress and reduced restraint compared with incarcerated youth without a personality disorder.

Results indicate that personality disorders can be found in incarcerated youth at high rates. These findings further our understanding of chronic psychiatric illness and possibly criminal recidivism in this at-risk population. Addition of personality measures in the assessment of delinquents may assist in the development of more effective interventions. Furthermore, the supportive convergent validity of these findings in a population younger than 18 years may indicate a need to reassess the current rationale for the diagnosis of Axis II disorders.