Interpersonal disorder in schizoid and avoidant personality disorders: an attachment perspective.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the characteristics related to avoidant attachment of 13 schizoid/avoidant psychiatric outpatients and 20 nonschizoid/avoidant psychiatric outpatients.

METHOD: Three scales ("maintains distance in relationships", "high priority on self-sufficiency" and "attachment relationship is a threat to security") differentiated schizoid and avoidant personality disordered patients from other personality disordered patients.

RESULTS

The results are discussed in terms of the attachment and DSM diagnostic models of avoidant styles in relationships.

CONCLUSION

The 2 groups of schizoid and avoidant personality disordered patients were not significantly different on the desire for close affectional bonds scale.