Explaining the link between childhood maltreatment and course of alcohol and nicotine dependence: The role of personality pathology

Background: Among those with substance dependence, persistent cases have the greatest risk for adverse medical and psychosocial consequences. We have shown that a history of childhood maltreatment increases the risk for persistent alcohol and nicotine dependence (Elliott et al., in press), but the pathway underlying this association is unknown. Personality disorders may offer an explanation, as borderline personality disorder (BPD), schizotypal personality disorder (SPD), and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) are associated with a history of childhood maltreatment (Afifi et al., 2011), and also predict persistence of alcohol and nicotine dependence (Hasin et al., 2011).

Source: Comprehensive Psychiatry - November 1, 2014 Category: Psychiatry Authors: J.C. Elliott, R.D. Goodwin, M. Stohl, M.M. Wall, K.M. Keyes, A.E. Skodol, R.F. Krueger, B.F. Grant, D.S. Hasin Source Type: research