The influence of personality disorders on the use of mental health services in adolescents with psychiatric disorders

Abstract Objective The aims of this study were to explore the influence of personality disorders (PDs) in Spanish adolescents with Axis I psychiatric disorders on their use of mental health services and to analyze the risk of having a comorbid PD in relation to psychiatric service use. Methods The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) and International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) modules of the semistructured interview International Personality Disorders Examination were administered to a sample of 112 adolescent psychiatric patients (mean age = 15.8 years; SD, 0.8; range, 15-17; 79% women) at the point of initiating treatment. On the basis of the interview, subjects were divided into two groups: a PD group (PDG) and a non-PD group (NPDG). After 3 years of treatment, clinical records were retrospectively analyzed. Results The PDG showed a significantly higher number of psychiatric admissions ( P P P Conclusions Patients with comorbid PD used more inpatient and emergency psychiatric services than did patients without a PD. Large number of psychiatric hospitalizations suggests the likelihood of a PD being present.