Personality disorders in youth: descriptive epidemiology and patient experience within services (360G-Wellcome-343205_Z_25_Z)

Personality disorders (PD) are common mental health conditions associated with functional impairment, self-harm, and high service use. Although PD symptoms typically emerge during adolescence, diagnosis and intervention frequently occur in early adulthood, following prolonged periods of unmet need. This project aims to improve understanding of how young people come to receive a PD diagnosis in early adulthood and how clinical, social, and service-related factors shape their trajectories and experiences. Using a mixed-methods approach, the project will address three research questions. First, it will characterise the sociodemographic, clinical, educational, occupational, and service-use profiles of young people diagnosed with PD in early adulthood. Second, it will examine which adolescent factors predict later PD diagnosis and distinguish these from predictors of other psychiatric diagnoses using comparative analyses. Third, it will explore the views and experiences of young people, carers, and professionals within healthcare services. The research will combine a systematic review with quantitative analyses of anonymised electronic health records and linked administrative data, alongside qualitative interviews and focus groups. By integrating epidemiological evidence with lived experience perspectives, this project will inform earlier identification and developmentally appropriate service pathways for young people at risk of PD.