Effect of DSM-III personality disorders on outcome of tricyclic antidepressant-treated nonpsychotic outpatients with major or minor depressive disorder.

This is the first outcome report of the effect of a personality disorder on nonhospitalized major depressive patients that used a standardized DSM-III measure and did not prescreen to eliminate certain personality disorders. Six-month outcome was compared for nonpsychotic patients with major depression and a DSM-III personality disorder (n = 26) and those who did not have a personality disorder (n = 11). Patients without a personality disorder had significantly better outcome as measured by the Global Assessment Scale and employment status. There was also a trend for less physician utilization in this group.