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This research examined the relative contribution of 20 defence mechanisms assessed by the 40-item Defence Style Questionnaire (DSQ-40) as discriminating variables in predicting membership in personality disorder (PD) clusters. The odd, dramatic and anxious clusters of DSM-III--R and the detached, dependent, independent and ambivalent groups of Millon were used as PD types. PDs were assessed by the Coolidge Axis II Inventory and the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory--II in a non-clinical sample. Results of discriminant function analysis provide empirical support for the usefulness of both DSM and Millon classification schemes. The DSM's odd cluster and Millon's ambivalent types are classified most accurately with the CATI. The MCMI-II classifies most accurately the DSM's odd and dramatic, and Millon's independent and ambivalent, personality types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Coolidge Axis-II Inventory (CATI) is a 200-item self-report inventory that is designed to measure DSM-IV personality disorders (PD's). Norms with a sample of 1,790 Canadian college students are compared with a US sample of 573 college students and 36 elderly subjects. Comparisons for the 11 DSM-IV personality disorder scales are made with several age groups and with gender. Some interesting similarities and differences were observed. With the Canadian sample, a gender difference was found on the antisocial scale. Age differences were found for on several PD scales in that younger respondents (17–24 years) scored higher than the older ones (25–57 years). This information is likely to be helpful to clinicians in monitoring age related behavioral changes in personality disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]