Epidemiology of Personality Disorders

The prevalence of personality disorders (PDs) in the nonclinical community population was largely unknown through the early 1990s. Over the past 10 years the epidemiology of PD in the community has been resolved through the study of large, nonclinical populations that have used validated structured psychiatric interviews designed specifically for PDs. The median prevalence for “any PD” is 10.6%, which is reasonably consistent across six major studies spanning three nations. Because 1 in 10 people suffers from a diagnosable PD and the disorders are associated with high levels of service use, it follows that personality pathology represents a major public health concern, a major research target for psychopathologists, and a consuming focus for clinicians.