The prevalence of personality disorder in mental state disorder

This review examines the prevalence of personality disorder in those with mental state disorder. Some challenges disentangling these psychopathologies are delineated and advances in understanding broadly are reviewed.

Recent taxonomic changes to a dimensionally based classification system in the ICD-11 and DSM of mental disorders-V's alternative model of personality disorder include requiring cut offs to examine clinical outcomes akin to those in hypertension. These new criteria affect personality disorder prevalence where it is comorbid with mental state disorder, although more robust the dimensional approach complicates understanding both theoretically and practically. Such issues include: deciding the cut off for 'pathology', understanding if psychopathology is related to mental state disorder, personality disorder or both, and consideration of the clinical value of comorbidity.

There is overlap between personality pathology and all types of mental state disorder. However, the shift to a dimensional framework of personality pathology means new methods to define and measure this comorbidity are needed. Dimensional conceptualisation of personality pathology challenges the underlying ontology of comorbidity in this area.