Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27389521›Full record

Trial reportBMC psychiatry2016

Associations between personality disorder characteristics and treatment outcomes in people with co-occurring alcohol misuse and depression.

Kristen L McCarter, Sean A Halpin, Amanda L Baker, Frances J Kay-Lambkin, Terry J Lewin, Louise K Thornton, David J Kavanagh, Brian J Kelly

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC psychiatry, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Major depressive disorder-alcohol use disorder comorbidity: diagnosis, mechanisms and treatment.European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience · 2026
    Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Kristen L McCarterSchool of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia. Kristen.McCarter@newcastle.edu.au.
Sean A HalpinSchool of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia.
Amanda L BakerSchool of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia.
Frances J Kay-LambkinNHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
Terry J LewinCentre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia.
Louise K ThorntonNHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
David J KavanaghCentre for Children's Health Research, Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation and School of Psychology & Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane City, QLD, 4000, Australia.
Brian J KellySchool of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPersonality disorders are highly comorbid with alcohol misuse and depressive symptomatology; however, few studies have investigated treatment outcomes in this population. The aim of this study was to examine relationships between baseline personality disorder cluster profiles and overall and treatment-related changes for those with co-occurring alcohol misuse and depression.

methodsSecondary analysis was conducted using a subset of data (N = 290) from two randomised controlled trials of psychological interventions for co-occurring alcohol misuse and depression, which did not specifically target personality disorders. Baseline dimensional personality disorder cluster scores were derived from the International Personality Disorder Examination Questionnaire (IPDEQ). Four treatment conditions were compared: a brief integrated intervention, followed by no further treatment, or nine further sessions of integrated-, alcohol-, or depression-focused treatment. Associations between IPDEQ scores and changes in alcohol use, depressive symptoms and functioning from baseline to the 6- and the 12-month follow-ups were of primary interest.

resultsPersonality disorder cluster scores moderately negatively impacted on overall change (primarily Cluster C), as well as treatment-related outcomes (primarily Cluster A), particularly changes in depressive symptoms and psychosocial functioning. Longer interventions appeared to be more effective in the longer-term (e.g., at 12-month follow-up), with integrated interventions relatively more effective than single-focused ones for individuals with higher personality disorder cluster scores.

conclusionsGreater attention needs to be paid to particular personality disorder clusters during the assessment and treatment of individuals with co-occurring alcohol misuse and depression. Integrated interventions, incorporating motivational interviewing and cognitive behaviour therapy, may provide a useful therapeutic framework. Integrated interventions also provide opportunities for adjunctive components focussing on other issues and coping strategies (e.g., to offset negative affective states), potentially tailored to the characteristics and needs of individual participants.

Indexed as

AdultAgedAlcohol-Related DisordersCognitive Behavioral TherapyComorbidityDepressionFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedMotivational InterviewingNew South WalesPersonality DisordersTreatment OutcomeYoung AdultAlcohol misuseComorbidityDepressionPersonality disorderPsychological interventions

Identifiers

PMID27389521
PMCPMC4936287

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.