Backgrounds & Aims: Childhood experiences may be one of the effective factors in the development of personality disorders. The aim of the present study investigated the relationship between different experiences of childhood abuse and cluster B personality disorders.

Materials & Methods: The population of this research was all students of Tabriz University. 293 students (179 female and 115 male) were selected by multi-stage cluster sampling. All subjects were asked to complete the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI-III) and Child Abuse Self Report Scale.

Results: There was a significant relationship between sexual abuse and antisocial, borderline and histrionic personality disorder. There was a negative relationship between emotional abuse and narcissistic personality disorder and positive correlation between emotional abuse with borderline and antisocial personality disorders. Also there was a significant relationship between physical abuse and neglect with anti-social and borderline personality disorders. Regression analysis showed that physical abuse, sexual abuse and neglect, predict antisocial personality disorder. Emotional and physical abuse predicts borderline personality disorder. Sexual abuse predicts histrionic personality disorder, also emotional and physical abuse predicts narcissistic personality disorder.

Conclusion: Overall, the results of this study indicate that cluster B personality disorders associated with different aspects of abuse and based on the experience of abuse, personality disorder symptoms is predictable.

SOURCE: URMIA MED J 2013: 24(3): 218 ISSN: 1027-3727