Specific Personality Disorders (F60)
DSM-5-TR: Personality Disorders
ICD-10-AM and DSM-5-TR may classify conditions differently. Refer to APA and WHO for complete diagnostic criteria.
Key Facts
ICD-10 Range
F60-F69
Subcodes
10 subcodes
Australian Prevalence
Personality disorders affect approximately 6-10% of the Australian population. Borderline personality disorder is the most commonly diagnosed, affecting approximately 1-2%.
Global Prevalence
Personality disorders affect approximately 6-10% of the general population worldwide. Antisocial PD is more common in men; borderline PD is more commonly diagnosed in women.
Duration Requirement
Longstanding patterns, typically evident from late childhood or adolescence and continuing into adulthood
Overview
Specific personality disorders are severe disturbances in the character and behavioural tendencies of the individual, usually involving several areas of the personality. They are nearly always associated with considerable personal and social disruption. Personality disorders tend to appear in late childhood or adolescence and continue into adulthood.
Diagnostic Criteria (ICD-10)
Core Features
- Deeply ingrained and enduring behaviour patterns
- Pervasive inflexible responses to a broad range of personal and social situations
- Significant deviation from the way the average individual perceives, thinks, feels, or relates to others
- Patterns are stable, of long duration, and have their onset in late childhood or adolescence
- Lead to considerable personal distress and/or problems in social functioning and performance
Duration
Longstanding patterns, typically evident from late childhood or adolescence and continuing into adulthood
Exclusion Criteria
- Personality change due to brain disease, damage, or dysfunction (use F07)
- Personality change due to psychiatric illness (use F62)
- Enduring personality change after catastrophic experience (use F62.0)
ICD-10-AM Subcodes
| Code | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| F60.0 | Paranoid personality disorder | |
| F60.1 | Schizoid personality disorder | |
| F60.2 | Dissocial (antisocial) personality disorder | |
| F60.3 | Emotionally unstable personality disorder | |
| F60.4 | Histrionic personality disorder | |
| F60.5 | Anankastic (obsessive-compulsive) personality disorder | |
| F60.6 | Anxious (avoidant) personality disorder | |
| F60.7 | Dependent personality disorder | |
| F60.8 | Other specific personality disorders | |
| F60.9 | Personality disorder, unspecified |
Classification Boundaries
Includes
- Character neurosis
- Pathological personality
Excludes1 (coded elsewhere)
- Enduring personality changes (F62)
- Personality disorder due to brain disease (F07.0)
Australian Clinical Context
Personality disorders, particularly borderline personality disorder, are significant contributors to mental health service utilisation in Australia. Project Air Strategy (University of Wollongong) provides Australian treatment guidelines and training. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Mentalisation-Based Therapy (MBT), and Schema Therapy are evidence-based treatments available through specialist services. NHMRC-endorsed guidelines inform treatment.
Medicare (MBS) Pathways
Better Access to Mental Health Care
The primary Medicare pathway for mental health treatment in Australia. Requires a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) referral. Available for any clinically diagnosed mental disorder.
| Provider Type | MBS Items | Session Type |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical Psychologist | 80000–80025 | Psychological therapy (higher rebate) |
| Registered Psychologist | 80100–80123 | Focused psychological strategies |
| Occupational Therapist | 80125–80145 | Focused psychological strategies |
| Social Worker | 80150–80175 | Focused psychological strategies |
| Psychiatrist | 291, 296–299, 300–308 | Psychiatric consultation |
Clinical Psychologist
Registered Psychologist
Occupational Therapist
Social Worker
GP referral items: 2700, 2701, 2715, 2717
Eligibility: Any clinically diagnosed mental disorder as defined by WHO ICD-10 Chapter V. Requires a GP or psychiatrist referral.
Exclusions:
- Intellectual disability (use Complex Neurodevelopmental Disorder pathway or specialist referral)
- Dementia and organic mental disorders (use specialist referral pathway)
- Tobacco use disorder
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Reference information sourced from MBS Online (mbsonline.gov.au). Item availability, rebates, and eligibility criteria may change. This is not billing advice — always verify current items before claiming. Last verified: April 2026.
Clinical Documentation Notes
Borderline personality disorder is coded as F60.31 (emotionally unstable personality disorder, borderline type) in ICD-10-AM. This maps to Borderline Personality Disorder in DSM-5-TR. Narcissistic personality disorder is coded under F60.8 (other specific personality disorders) in ICD-10-AM, as it does not have a dedicated F60 subcode. Diagnosis requires evidence of longstanding patterns rather than state-dependent symptoms.
Related Assessment Tools
Related Clinical Calculators
Other validated instruments commonly used alongside the Specific Personality Disorders (F60).
CORE-10
Clinical Outcomes
A 10-item measure of psychological distress for monitoring clinical outcomes in therapy
CalculateCORE-OM
Clinical Outcomes
A 34-item pan-theoretical measure of psychological global distress covering four domains: subjective well-being, problems/symptoms, life functioning, and risk/harm.
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One link, multiple assessments completed in sequence — auto-scored back to you.
Related Diagnostic Codes
ICD-10-AM diagnostic codes commonly associated with the Specific Personality Disorders (F60).
Frequently Asked Questions
References
- World Health Organization. ICD-10-AM.
- NHMRC. Clinical Practice Guideline for Borderline Personality Disorder.
- Project Air Strategy. Treatment Guidelines for Personality Disorders.
- American Psychiatric Association. DSM-5-TR. 2022.
Clinical Scoring Calculator — Not a Diagnostic Tool
This tool calculates scores based on published guidelines for professional reference. It does not provide clinical diagnoses. Scores are provided as reference information only and should be interpreted by a qualified practitioner in the context of a comprehensive assessment.
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