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Theories of general personality and mental disorder^*

East Midlands Centre for Forensic Mental Health Leicester

V. EGAN, ClinPsychD

Department of Psychology, Glasgow Caledonian University

L. McCARTHY, PhD

East Midlands Centre for Forensic Mental Health, Leicester

B. PALMER, MSc

Trent Institute for Health Services Research, University of Nottingham Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham

A. LEE, FRCPsych

Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK

Correspondence: C. Duggan, East Midlands Centre for Forensic Mental Health, University of Leicester, Arnold Lodge, Cordelia Close, Leicester LE5 0LE, UK

Declaration of interest None.

^* Paper presented at the second conference of the British and Irish Group for the Study of Personality Disorders (BIGSPD), University of Leicester, UK, 31 January to 3 February 2001.

Background A major shortcoming of current research into personality is its failure to explore the relationship between theories of general personality and mental disorder.

Aims To provide preliminary data to address this deficit.

Method In the first of two studies, we examined the relationship between the Neuroticism, Extraversion and Other — Five-Factor Inventory (NEO—FFI) and DSM personality disorders in a consecutive series of mentally disordered offenders. In the second, we sought to separate the personality dimension neuroticism from symptoms of depressive disorder in a sample of subjects with current depression.

Results Factors from the NEO—FFI were associated with different personality disorders in a predictable manner (first study). It was possible to identify a component of neuroticism (i.e. ‘worry’) that could be separated from depressive symptoms (second study).

Conclusions Theories of general personality theory can enlighten and refine descriptions of abnormal mental states by informing both their aetiology and their prognosis.

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