Moving in together, marriage, and motherhood: A follow up study of relationships in psychiatric patients with personality disorders

Abstract

Background: Personality disorders (PDs) are related to poor psychosocial function, including fewer relationships with friends and romantic partners. Methods: One-hundred eighty-six psychiatric patients were included in a study cohort in 2002–2003. In 2017, data regarding living arrangements and marital status between 2003 and 2016 were collected for these participants and from a matched control group. Data on birth of first child during the study period were collected for women. The former patients were divided into two groups based on occurrence of PD or not. Groups were compared with each other and with the controls. Results: The proportion of participants with PD who lived together with someone did not increase at the same rate as in the other groups. PD was associated with a reduced likelihood of getting married during the study period. Women in the PD group had children to a lower extent than females in the other groups. Conclusion: Personality disorder was associated with an increased likelihood of living alone and being unmarried. Female participants with PD had a decreased likelihood of having children compared with controls. © 2021 The Authors Personality and Mental Health Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.