Axis I and II comorbidity and childhood trauma history in chemical dependency

The authors replicated and extended two former studies on Axis I and II comorbidity and childhood trauma histories in 106 patients admitted to a chemical dependency treatment unit. Sixty-nine subjects reported a history of physical and/or sexual abuse during childhood and 26.4% met criteria for posttraumaic stress disorder. Patients who reported a history of childhood abuse showed more symptoms of depression, dissociation, and borderline personality disorder than those who denied childhood trauma. Dissociative disorders, mood and anxiety disorders, personality disorders, and histories of childhood trauma appear to be common in chemical dependency subjects, and should be inquired about routinely.