For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, personality disorder, in relation to a person, includes death from a terminal event or condition that was contributed to by the person's personality disorder. Note: terminal event is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary. Basis for determining the factors On the sound medicalscientific evidence available, the Repatriation Medical Authority is of the view that it is more probable than not that personality disorder and death from personality disorder can be related to relevant service rendered by veterans or members of the Forces under the VEA, or members under the MRCA. Note: MRCA, relevant service and VEA are defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary. Factors that must exist At least one of the following factors must exist before it can be said that, on the balance of probabilities, personality disorder or death from personality disorder is connected with the circumstances of a person's relevant service: experiencing a category 1A stressor within the one year before the clinical onset of personality disorder; Note: category 1A stressor is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary. experiencing a category 1B stressor within the six months before the clinical onset of personality disorder; Note: category 1B stressor is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary. experiencing severe childhood before the clinical onset of personality disorder; Note: severe childhood abuse is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary. having a clinically significant disorder of mental health as specified, within the five years before the clinical onset of personality disorder; Note: clinically significant disorder of mental health as specified is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary. experiencing a category 1A stressor within the one year before the clinical worsening of personality disorder; Note: category 1A stressor is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary. experiencing a category 1B stressor within the six months before the clinical worsening of personality disorder; Note: category 1B stressor is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary. experiencing severe childhood abuse before the clinical worsening of personality disorder; Note: severe childhood abuse is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
specific phobia; or substance use disorder. Note 1: of the condition may involve regular visits (for example, at least monthly) to a psychiatrist, counsellor or general practitioner. Note 2: To "warrant ongoing management" does not require that any actual management was received or given for the condition. DSM-5 means the American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. Arlington, VA, American Psychiatric Association, 2013. eyewitness means a person who experiences an incident first hand and can give direct evidence of it. This excludes persons exposed only to public broadcasting or mass media coverage of the incident. MRCA means the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004. personality change due to another medical condition means a disorder of mental health (derived from DSM-5) which is characterised by a persistent personality disturbance that is due to the direct physiological effects of a medical condition (for example, frontal lobe lesion, ischaemic stroke or cerebral trauma). Note: DSM-5 is also defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary. personality disorder—see subsection 7(2). relevant service means: eligible war service than operational service) under the VEA; defence service (other than hazardous service and British nuclear test defence service) under the VEA; or peacetime service under the MRCA. Note: MRCA and VEA are also defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary. severe childhood abuse means: serious physical, emotional, psychological or sexual harm whilst a child aged under 16 years; or neglect involving a serious failure to provide the necessities for health, physical and emotional development, or wellbeing whilst a child aged under 16 years; where such serious harm or neglect has been perpetrated by a parent, a care provider, an adult who works with or around that child, or any other adult in contact with that child. terminal event means the proximate or ultimate cause of death and includes the following: pneumonia; respiratory failure; cardiac arrest; circulatory failure; or cessation of brain function. VEA means the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.