Are the DSM-IV personality disorders related to mindfulness? An Italian study on clinical participants.

Objectives: This study aims to assess the relationships between measures of mindfulness, self-report, and interview measures of personality disorders (PDs) in a sample of 111 consecutively admitted adult outpatients. Results: When PDs were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Personality Disorders, Version 2.0, borderline and histrionic PD, as well as the overall number of PD criteria met by each participant, were significantly predicted by mindfulness measures. When the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire-4+ (PDQ-4+) scale scores were entered in the regression equations as dependent variables, only the obsessive-compulsive PD seemed to be unrelated with mindfulness. The Mindful Attention Awareness Scale total score and the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire Act with Awareness scale were consistent, negative, and nonredundant predictors of PDQ-4+ dimensionally assessed PDs. Conclusion: As a whole, our findings support the hypothesis that low levels of mindfulness play a significant role in personality psychopathology, and particularly in borderline PD.