Impulsivity, aggressiveness, and DSM-IV personality disorders

• Published in: Psychiatry research Vol. 149; no. 1; pp. 157 - 167
• Main Authors: Fossati, Andrea, Barratt, Ernest S., Borroni, Serena, Villa, Daniele, Grazioli, Federica, Maffei, Cesare
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 15.01.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Aggression - psychology; Aggressiveness; Biological and medical sciences; Character; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders - diagnosis; Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders - epidemiology; Exploratory Behavior; Factor Analysis, Statistical; Female; Humans; Impulsivity; Male; Medical sciences; Object Attachment; Personality disorders; Personality Disorders - diagnosis; Personality Disorders - epidemiology; Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Severity of Illness Index; Temperament; Personality disorders; Impulsivity; Aggressiveness; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV; Personality disorder
• ISSN: 0165-1781; 1872-7123
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2006.03.011

The aim of this study is to assess whether impulsive and aggressive traits can be placed on a continuum with DSM-IV Cluster B Personality Disorders (PDs) and to determine if different aspects of these personality traits are specifically associated with individual Cluster B PDs. The study group comprised 461 outpatients admitted consecutively to a clinic that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of PDs. Principal component analyses clearly suggested a five-factor structure of both normal and psychopathological personality traits. Importantly, measures of impulsivity, aggressiveness and novelty seeking formed a part of the principal component that clustered all Cluster B PDs. Regression analyses indicated that impulsive traits were selectively associated with Borderline PD whereas different aspects of aggressiveness were useful in discriminating Narcissistic PD from Antisocial PD. Sensation seeking traits formed a part of Histrionic PD. These results indicate that impulsive/aggressive traits may be useful in explaining both why Cluster B PDs tend to covary, and why they frequently differ in clinical pictures and courses.