The Relationship between Concurrent Substance Use Disorders and Eating Disorders with Personality Disorders

Christine Courbasson and Jacqueline M. Brunshaw
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Christine Courbasson: Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Russell Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2S1 Canada
Jacqueline M. Brunshaw: Eating Disorders and Addiction Clinic, Concurrent Disorders Service, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Russell Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2S1 Canada

IJERPH, 2009, vol. 6, issue 7, 1-14

Abstract: Objective: The current pilot study investigated whether patients with concurrent substance use disorders and eating disorders (SUD and ED) who experienced a reduction in SUD and ED symptoms following treatment for SUD and ED also experienced a reduction in personality disorder (PD) symptoms. Method: Twenty patients with SUD and ED and PD were assessed pre and post treatment using clinical interviews, self-report questionnaires, and a therapist questionnaire on DSM-IV-TR symptoms for PD. Results: Symptoms for the personality disorders were reduced following treatment. This reduction was correlated with a decrease in the number of symptoms of ED at post treatment. Discussion: Chronic concurrent SUD and ED may make it difficult to separate PD symptoms from co-occurring disorders. Many features attributed to PDs may be reduced when problematic substance use and disordered eating are addressed, a fact that may increase clinician and patients’optimism about therapeutic change.

Keywords: substance use disorders; eating disorders; personality disorders; avoidant personality disorder; borderline personality disorder; obsessive compulsive personality disorder (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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