Are there specific relationships between symptom patterns and interpersonal problems among psychiatric outpatients?

Associations between symptoms and interpersonal problems, assessed with the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90-R) and the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-64-item version (IIP-64), are examined in a large psychiatric outpatient sample. On the basis of the IIP-64 scores, the sample was divided into 8 subgroups, made up of different types of predominant interpersonal problems. These octant groups were used as independent variables in analyses testing hypothesized associations with symptom subscales of the SCL-90-R. In general, strong associations between symptoms and interpersonal problems were found. In addition, hostile and paranoid ideation symptoms displayed significant differences among octant groups, and were associated with interpersonal problems of the vindictive/self-centered kind. Phobic anxiety was associated with interpersonal problems of the socially inhibited kind. Assessing specific combinations of symptoms and interpersonal problems might be useful in treatment planning and evaluation.