Personality Traits and Personality Disorders in Late Middle and Old Age: Do They Remain Stable? A Literature Review

Ageism in Mental Health Assessment and Treatment of Older Adults

“…However, it is unclear as to whether they are as stable across the life span as they were once assumed to be (Debast et al 2014). In this respect, it is uncertain whether age-related changes in values and behaviors may be counted inappropriately as diagnostic symptoms of PD, or alternatively, whether these changes might conceal existing symptoms in a way that would disguise the existence of PDs.…”

“…Clinicians and researchers have long reported age differences in symptom constellation of some mental disorders, such as depression (see Blazer and Hybels 2005) and PTSD (Palgi 2015;Pietrzak et al 2012). However, age-based comparisons of symptom presentations have found mixed results (e.g., see Luppa et al 2012 for evidence suggesting an increase in depression with aging, and a review by Debast et al 2014, reporting age differences in somatoform disorders). The mixed results in the literature have not helped to decrease clinician bias and confusion in this domain.…”

“…In a recent study, older adults exhibited a higher level of avoidant personality symptoms compared to younger adults, yet showed lower levels of paranoid, schizoid, schizotypal, antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic personality symptoms (Debast et al 2014). This finding does not answer the question of whether current criteria for a PD diagnosis can be applied to older adults with clinical validity, or whether changes in these symptoms reflect a real change in the ways PDs are manifested in old age.…”

The Lifetime Course of Borderline Personality Disorder

“…61,62 In general, changes in personality traits tend to decrease with age, although one sees an overall decrease in neuroticism, extraversion, and openness, as well as an increase in agreeableness and conscientiousness. 63 As patients with BPD tend to experience many physical health problems, and as these are associated with continuation of illness, 42 awareness of BPD in later life remains important. It is hoped that the ongoing longitudinal studies of BPD will be able to provide some insight into the major challenges patients with BPD experience as they age.…”

Personality Disorders in Older Adults: Emerging Research Issues

“…In the ADP-IV, DIF was found for only four items (4.3 %) with no DTF on the different personality scales [24]. Similarly, only 3 % DIF was found for the YSQ, thus also implying age neutrality.…”