Commentary: Commentary on the Twitter comments evoked by the May 2022 debate on diagnosing personality disorders in adolescents. Issue 1 (7th December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cavelti, Marialuisa; Sharp, Carla; Chanen, Andrew M.; Kaess, Michael
• Other Names: Gega Lina guestEditor.; Martin Jennifer guestEditor.; Sayal Kapil guestEditor.; Thabrew Hiran guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: Child and adolescent mental health. Volume 28:Issue 1(2023)
• Page Start: 186
• Page End: 191
• Publication Date: 2022-12-07
• Subjects: Adolescence -- borderline personality disorder -- personality disorders -- diagnosis -- stigma; Adolescent psychology -- Periodicals; Child mental health -- Periodicals; Child psychiatry -- Periodicals; Child psychology -- Periodicals; Teenagers -- Mental health -- Periodicals; 155.405
• DOI: 10.1111/camh.12618
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1475-357X

Abstract

Abstract : The debate about the value and utility of personality disorder (PD) diagnosis in adolescence published in the May 2022 issue of CAMH generated fervent Twitter discussion. This commentary addresses some points raised in the Twitter discussion that represent important social and/or cultural beliefs that are often presented in day‐to‐day practice but are rarely tested in the context of scientific evidence. This includes, in particular, the assertion that symptoms used to diagnose personality disorder are better described as sequelae of trauma, and the assertion that effective treatment for PD is possible without a diagnosis. The call for a fundamental transformation of mental health services that currently do not meet the needs of people with PD and for the involvement of people with lived experience as equal partner in this process is supported by evidence and might represent common ground among those clinician‐scientist advocating for early intervention for PD and those expressing their concerns about this issue.