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Article
Prospective investigation of a PTSD personality typology among individuals with personality disorders
Comprehensive Psychiatry (2012)
  • Meghan E. McDevitt-Murphy, University of Memphis
  • M. Tracie Shea
  • Shirley Yen
  • Carlos M. Grilo
  • Charles A. Sanislow, Wesleyan University
  • John C. Markowitz
  • Andrew E. Skodol
Abstract

This study investigated the replicability of a previously proposed personality typology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD, and explored stability of cluster membership over a 6-month period. Participants with current PTSD (n = 156) were drawn from the Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study (CLPS). The CLPS project tracked a large sample of individuals who met criteria for 1 of 4 target diagnoses (borderline, schizotypal, avoidant, and obsessive-compulsive) and a contrast group of individuals who met criteria for depression but no personality disorder. A cluster analysis using scales from the Schedule of Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality yielded 3 clusters: “internalizing,” “externalizing,” and “low pathology.” Using K-means cluster analysis, the results did not replicate previous work. Using Ward's method, the hypothesized 3- cluster structure was confirmed at baseline but did not demonstrate temporal stability at 6 months.

Keywords
  • PTSD,
  • Personality Disorders,
  • Typology,
  • CLPS,
  • internalizing,
  • externalizing
Publication Date
July 1, 2012
Citation Information
McDevitt-Murphy, M. E., Shea, M. T., Yen, S., Grilo, C. M., Sanislow, C. A., Markowitz, J. C., & Skodol, A. E. (2011). Prospective investigation of a PTSD personality typology among individuals with personality disorders. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 53, 441-450.