Predictors of personality disorders among Alexandria University students.
Author: El Hosseiny WW, Mounir GM, Mahdy NH, Abu Nazel MW.
Source:
The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association, 79(1-2), 115-144.
Personality disorders (PDs) represent a common and serious public health problem.
The aim of the present work was to determine the prevalence of different PDs
among first grade students of Alexandria University and to investigate some
ecological factors of the problem. A cross-sectional study was carried out and
included 1086 students. The Arabic Version of Personality Diagnostic
Questionnaire-4+(PDQ-4+) was applied. Results revealed that more than one quarter
of the studied sample had at least one PD (26.1%). Cluster C was the most
frequently occurring (24.9%). The commonest subtypes recorded were avoidant PD
(20.4%) and obsessive-compulsive PD (20.2%) followed by paranoid PD (15.0%).
Significant predictors of PD delineated on the logistic regression analysis were
mainly psychosocial factors including parental inconsistent discipline,
intrafamilial conflicts, parental rejection and control, decreased familial and
friends' social support, and sexual abuse. A positive history of conduct
disorder, chronic medical illness or psychiatric problem also significantly
predicted the occurrence of PD. Lack of freedom in college selection and smoking
emerged as recent events that predicted the PD status of students