Five-year outcome from eating disorders: relevance of personality disorders

In order to assess the relationship of personality disorder and eating disorder outcome 30 eating disordered patients were followed up 4-5 years after taking part in a study examining the prevalence of personality disorders in eating disordered individuals. Subjects with personality disorders did not differ from those without personality disorders in the amount of symptomatic change over time, although their psychopathology generally remained more severe. The relationship of personality disorder and clinical outcome ratings varied depending on the personality measure. SCID-II personality disorder diagnoses were not significantly associated with outcome ratings, but were related to a greater likelihood to be hospitalized and treated with psychotropic medications. Results with a new personality measure, the Wisconsin Personality Inventory, did display an association between personality disturbance and eating disorder outcome ratings and also suggested that borderline personality was a significant predictor of outcome.