The Prevalence Of Personality Disorders In College Students And Research On Related Psychological Factors

ObjectivesTo investigate the prevalence of Cluster-B personality disorders in college students; examine their clinical characteristics and personality traits from Five-Factor Model perspective. We then probe the relationship between the subjects' childhood traumatic experiences and their personality disorders to obtain further understanding of the personality development of college students. In order to research the etiology and pathogenesis of Cluster-B personality disorders, we also investigate the relationship of Cluster-B personality disorders in minor criminals and their childhood traumatic experiences. Methods1 Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire (PDQ+4) is administered to sample which consists of 3140 college students and 600 minor criminals in Shandong and Hunan Provinces to screen personality disorder patients.2 Cluster-B personality disorder patients are finally diagnosed by conducting bland semi structured interview using Personality Disorder Interview-IV (PDI-IV) four to six weeks after the first administration.3 Childhood traumatic experiences and personality traits are measured by Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-SF) and NEO Personality Inventory-Revised (NEO-PI-R) among patients and controls.Results1 The total prevalence of Cluster-B personality disorders in college student is 1.21% with 38 subjects met the diagnostic criteria of Cluster-B personality disorders. 1 female subject met the criteria of Antisocial Personality Disorder(APD), 21 Borderline PersonalityDisorder(BPD), 20 Narcissistic Personality Disorder(NPD), and 8 Histrionic Personality Disorder(HPD). The prevalence of BPD, NPD and HPD are 0.67%, 0.64% and 0.25% perspectively. 10 subjects met the criteria of more than one personality disorder; the cormobidity rate is 26.3%.2 Cluster-B subjects score significantly higher than normal control in CTQ-SF and all domains with the exception of emotional neglect. Further comparison between BPD and controlm, NPD and control show that while BPD subjects score higher than control in emotional abuse and neglect domains, there is no significant differences between NPD and normal subjects.3 Comparison of NEO scores between college Cluster-B subjects and normal adult show that the former is significantly higher than the latter in Neuroticism domain, and lower in Openness to Experience, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness domains. Though there is no difference in Extraversion domain, Cluster-B subjects score lower in Warmth and Gregariousness facets.4 The total prevalence of Cluster-B personality disorder in minor criminals is 13.17% with 79 subjects met the diagnostic criteria. The prevalence of APD, BPD, HPD and NPD are 10.50%, 5.83%, 1.50%, 5.17 % perspectively. 40 subjects met the criteria of more than one personality disorder; bring the comorbidy rate to be 50.6%.5 Criminal Cluster-B subjects score significantly higher than criminal control in CTQ-SF emotional and physical abuse domains. Further comparison between APD and control, other personality disorders and control show that no significant difference exists in the three groups.6 Criminal Cluster-B subjects score higher than normal adult in Neuroticism domain of NEO, and lower in Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeable, and Conscientiousness domains.7 The results of bivariate analysis between PDI-IV and CTQ-SF demonstrate that all of the five domains of CTQ-SF positively correlate with APD; emotional abuse and neglect, sex abuse and physical neglect positively correlate with BPD; sex abuse positively correlate with NPD. Logistic regression analysis and ROC curve analysis show that APD can be accounted for and predicted by physical abuse, and BPD can be accounted for and predicted byemotional neglect. Conclusions1 The prevalence of Cluster-B personality disorder in college students is lower than in general population reported by foreign researchers. Their developmental period, special experience and envioronment contribute to the their clinical characteristics. The HPD and NPD symptoms of college students are consistent with the core traits of the two disorders.2 College Cluster-B subjects experienced more severe childhood traumatic events than control, and this is especially true with emotional abuse and neglect to BPD; indicating that emotional maltreat might be the special risk factor to college BPD patients. Cluster-B subjects' FFM personality traits exhibit deviant character such as high Neuroticism, low Openness to Experience, low Agreeable and low Conscientiousness which show that individuals with Cluster-B personality disorders often experience neglect emotion likeanxiety and depression. They are more vulnerable, aggressive than normal people and haveless confidence in themselves. Finally, their interpersonal relationship might also fill of conflicts.3 By comparing with minor criminals, results of data analysis suggest that childhood traumatic experience might contribute to individuals' susceptibility to personality disorders. Physical abuse could serve as a predictive factor to APD; emotional neglect could serve as a predictive factor to BPD.