Personality Disorders in the Elderly

Abstract

A 200-item questionnaire, the Coolidge Axis 11 Inventory, was used to compare 36 elderly (mean age = 69.4 years, range 61 to 78) and 573 younger individuals (mean age 24.0, range 16 to 58) on the 13 DSM-III-R personality disorders. The contention that personality disorders "often become less obvious" in the elderly was only partially supported. The elderly in this study were significantly higher on the obsessive compulsive and schizoid scales, and the two groups were not significantly different on the avoidant or dependent scales. Item analyses revealed a restriction in overall affectivity, lessening of sexual desires, indifference to praise or criticism, and greater need for organization in the elderly. On Axis I scales, the elderly were not significantly more depressed and were significantly less anxious. Somatic items in the MMPI and other depression inventories may contribute to an elevation of depression scores in the elderly. A neuropsychological basis for the present findings was discussed.