Personality disorders and smoking in Spanish general and clinical population

There is consistent evidence about the relationship between smoking and mental health. This study compares the relationship between tobacco use and personality disorders (PDs) in Spanish adults from general and clinical population, taking into account nicotine dependence (ND), and the presence of any mental disorder.

The sample was made up of 1,079 smokers (519 from general population, 560 from clinical population). PDs were assessed by means of the International Personality Disorder Examination Questionnaire, Module DSM-IV.

Individuals seeking treatment to quit smoking had a higher likelihood of presenting a paranoid, schizoid, schizotypal, borderline, antisocial, and dependent PD compared to smokers from the general population. This likelihood was higher when ND was taken into account. Among smokers from the general population, ND was associated with a higher likelihood of presenting a borderline and dependent PD.

A significant relationship between smoking and several PDs exist, especially in nicotine dependent smokers. Relevance of the findings regarding the influence of PDs in smoking cessation interventions is discussed.