He H, Xu M, Fei Z, Xie Y, Gu X, Zhu H, Wang J. Sex differences in personality disorders in a Chinese clinical population.
Front Psychiatry 2022;
13:1006740. [PMID:
36213898 PMCID:
PMC9537623 DOI:
10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1006740]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
Sex differences in the frequency and severity of personality disorders (PDs) have been widely reported in Western countries. However, limited literature suggests a similar sex distribution in the Chinese clinical population. This study investigated sex differences in self-reported and interviewed patients with PDs in a clinical population in China.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The participants were 1,389 consecutive outpatients with a mean age of 30.5 years, including 634 (45.6%) males and 755 (54.4%) females. Self-reported PD traits were assessed using the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire Fourth Edition Plus (PDQ-4+). PDs were diagnosed according to the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) Axis II (SCID-II).
RESULTS
Male outpatients reported more paranoid, schizotypal, antisocial, and passive-aggressive PD traits, whereas females reported more borderline PD traits on the PDQ-4+. Self-reported PD traits in male outpatients were more likely to reach the positive threshold of antisocial PD than in females (χ2 = 5.293, p = 0.021). Males were more likely to meet the criteria for schizoid (χ2 = 5.050, p = 0.025), narcissistic (χ2 = 27.244, p < 0.001), antisocial (χ2 = 11.430, p = 0.001), avoidant (χ2 = 5.098, p = 0.024), and obsessive-compulsive PD (χ2 = 5.496, p = 0.019) diagnoses in the SCID-II. In contrast, females were more likely to meet the criteria of histrionic (χ2 = 12.327, p = 0.001), borderline (χ2 = 28.538, p < 0.001), and dependent (χ2 = 4.919, p = 0.027) diagnoses.
DISCUSSION
These findings indicate gender differences in the traits, frequency, and pattern of PDs when assessed in a Chinese clinical population.
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