Anxiety disorders and personality disorders: A review

This paper reviews studies of the relationship between anxiety and personality disorders. We begin by reviewing models of the relationship between Axis I and Axis II disorders, methodological limitations of studies that have attempted to provide evidence for these models, and findings of general studies of comorbidity of anxiety and personality disorders. We then review studies of the relationship between specific anxiety and personality disorders. Although this research has clear limitations, when taken together with advances in our understanding of the nature of these disorders, it has important clinical and theoretical implications.