Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-18T11:58:04.506Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Who gives the most reliable account of a psychiatric patient's personality?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Judith Brothwell ,
Patricia R Casey  and
Peter Tyrer
Judith Brothwell
Affiliation:
Chesterfield and, North-East Derbyshire Royal Hospital, Chesterfield
Patricia R Casey
Affiliation:
Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Dublin
Peter Tyrer
Affiliation:
St. Charles Hospital, Exmoor Street, London W10 6DZ
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective: To compare the perceived accuracy of diagnostic information derived from psychiatric patients and a range of other informants using a schedule for assessing personality disorders (Personality Assessment Schedule). Method: The Personality Assessment Schedule includes a rating of reliability of the information obtained from whatever source. A record was made of these reliability scores in 405 patients with psychiatric disorder; 146 with both subjects and other informants and 259 with the informant only, and analysed using non-parametric statistics. Results: There was significant variation in the distribution of scores among the four psychiatrists who rated 232 of the interviews with informants, suggesting that inter-individual differences are paramount in deciding who is a reliable informant. Nevertheless, the views of other informants when they were spouses or cohabitees were judged to be more accurate than those of other relatives or acquaintances. No differences were found in the perceived reliability of data from subjects and informants when both were interviewed separately. Conclusions: Subjects and informants are judged to be equally reliable in giving assessments of personality status but the informants who have the closest relationship to subjects, spouses and cohabitees, are judged superior to informants of more distant immediate relationship in the accuracy of their information about personality status.

Keywords

Personality disorderPersonality assessmentInterview scheduleReliability
Type
Original Papers
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 9 , Issue 2 , November 1992 , pp. 90 - 93
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 3rd rev ed. Washington DC: American Psychiatric Association, 1987.Google Scholar
2.Schneider, K. Die Psychopathischen Persönlichkeiten. Berlin: Springer, 1923.Google Scholar
3.Tyrer, P, Alexander, J. Classification of personality disorder. Br J Psychiatry 1979; 135: 163–67.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Mann, AH, Jenkins, R, Cutting, JC, Cowen, PJ. The development and use of a standardized assessment of abnormal personality. Psychol Med 1981; 11: 839–847.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Tyrer, P. What's wrong with DSM-III personality disorder? Journal of Personality Disorders 1988; 2: 281–291.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6.Tyrer, P, Alexander, MS, Cicchetti, D, Cohen, MS, Remington, M. Reliability of a schedule for rating personality disorders. Br J Psychiatry 1979; 135: 168–174.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7.Zimmerman, M, Pfohl, B, Coryell, W, Stangl, D, Corenthal, C. Diagnosing personality disorder in depressed patients: a comparison of patient and informant interviews. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1988; 45: 733–737.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8.Pfohl, B, Stangl, D, Zimmerman, M. Structured Interview for DSM-III Personality Disorders (SID—P). Iowa City: University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 1982.Google Scholar
9.Tyrer, P, Strauss, J, Cicchetti, D. Temporal reliability of personality in psychiatric patients. Psychol Med 1983; 13: 393–98.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10.Tyrer, P, Alexander, J, Ferguson, B. Personality assessment schedule. In Tyrer, P, editor. Personality disorders: diagnosis, management and course. London: Wright, 1988: 140–167.Google Scholar
11.Casey, PR, Tyrer, PJ, Dillon, S. The diagnostic status of patients with conspicuous psychiatric morbidity in primary care. Psychol Med 1984; 14: 673–681.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12.Casey, P, Tyrer, P. Personality disorder and psychiatric illness in general practice. Br J Psychiatry 1990; 156: 261–265.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13.Bayroff, AG, Haggerty, HR, Rundquist, EA. Validity of ratings as related to rating techniques and conditions. Personnel Psychology 1954; 7: 93–113.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14.Taft, R. Accuracy of empathic judgements of acquaintances and strangers. J Pers Soc Psychol 1966; 5: 600–604.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15.Cook, M. Interpersonal perception. London: Penguin, 1971.Google Scholar