Assessment and Diagnosis of Personality Disorders

Until recently, the diagnosis and assessment of personality disorders had lagged considerably behind that of most other mental disorders. The IPDE is a new instrument that is compatible, through two modules, with both ICD-10 and DSM-IV criteria. In the form of a semistructured clinical interview, it now provides a means of measuring major categories of personality disorders that previously had been ignored. It is also unique in that it seeks to secure reliable and uniform diagnosis that is both internationally and cross-culturally acceptable. Written by leading international authorities, this volume forms an invaluable reference manual to the IPDE instrument and its development. The book's first section includes an overview of the worldwide field trials of the interview and aspects of epidemiology that affect the current status of diagnosis and assessment research. The second section, detailing the full interview schedule and scoring system for the instrument, will further facilitate its use.