Axis II disorders and cigarette smoking among adults from the general population.

The present study examined whether personality disorders (PDs) are associated with cigarette smoking, and the possible influence of nicotine dependence, sociodemographic variables, and the presence of any lifetime Axis I mental disorder in these relationships. The sample was made up of 1,081 adult participants from the Spanish general population and was stratified by smoking status (519 smokers and 562 nonsmokers). PDs were assessed by means of the International Personality Disorder Examination Questionnaire, Module DSM-IV. Results indicated that participants with a paranoid, a narcissistic, a borderline, an antisocial, or an obsessive-compulsive PD had a higher probability for being smokers and for being nicotine-dependent. The only exception was the schizoid PD, because participants with this Axis II disorder had a lower probability for being nicotine-dependent smokers. The association between PDs and smoking was maintained even after adjusting for all covariates. Findings are discussed in relation to the influence of Axis II disorders on smoking cessation interventions.