Abstract
The aim of the study was to investigate the possibility of sex bias in the diagnostic criteria for borderline, schizotypal, avoidant and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders. A clinical sample of 668 individuals were evaluated for personality disorder criteria using a semi-structured interview, the DIPD-IV. Functional impairment was also assessed across four domains of functioning using both a semi-structured interview and self-report inventory. Using a regression model of bias based on theory of educational test bias, this study investigated differences in regression lines of men and women in the relationship between presence of a diagnostic criterion and level of impairment. We found relatively little evidence of sex bias in the DSM-IV criteria for these four personality disorders. However, eight of nine borderline personality disorder criteria did display a functional disparity between men and women on a measure of global functioning. Perhaps these borderline criteria are functioning differently for men than women and should be the focus of future research.
Boggs, Christina Danielle (2002). Differential impairment as an indicator of sex bias in the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria of four personality disorders. Master's thesis, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /ETD -TAMU -2002 -THESIS -B58.