94B Personality Disorders

Question 1

ego-syntonic

Answer 1

person thinks everyone else is screwed up, not them; trait of personality disorder

Question 2

alloplastic

Answer 2

change others, not self. Part of PD.

Question 3

3 parts of personality and description

Answer 3

1) temperament - innate
2) character - relating to others; can somewhat control
3) Psyche - self-awareness

Question 4

general criteria for personality disorder

Answer 4

Inflexible, maladaptive, and rigidly pervasive pattern of behavior causing subjective distress and/or impaired functioning; person is usually not aware of problem. Usually presents by early
adulthood.

Question 5

3 clusters of personality disorder

Answer 5

A - Odd or eccentric; inability to develop
meaningful social relationships. No psychosis;
genetic association with schizophrenia. “Weird” (Accusatory, Aloof, Awkward). RX- low dose anti-psychotics if needed
B - Dramatic, emotional, or erratic; genetic
association with mood disorders and substance
abuse. “Wild” (Bad to the Bone).
C - Anxious or fearful; genetic association with
anxiety disorders. “Worried” (Cowardly, Compulsive, Clingy). Rx - SSRIs if needed

Question 6

Paranoid

Answer 6

A - “accusatory”
Pervasive distrust and suspiciousness; projection
is the major defense mechanism.

Question 7

Schizoid

Answer 7

A - “aloof;” Schizoid = distant.
Voluntary social withdrawal, limited emotional
expression, content with social isolation (vs.
avoidant).

Question 8

Histrionic

Answer 8

B -
Excessive emotionality and excitability,
attention seeking, sexually provocative, overly
concerned with appearance. Manipulative in medical settings.

Question 9

Narcissistic

Answer 9

B
Grandiosity, sense of entitlement; lacks empathy
and requires excessive admiration; often
demands the “best” and reacts to criticism
with rage.

Question 10

Antisocial

Answer 10

B - Antisocial = sociopath.
Disregard for and violation of rights of others,
criminality; males > females; conduct disorder
if < 18 years.
Highly genetic with decreased response to stimuli

Question 11

Borderline

Answer 11

B -
-Frantic efforts to avoid abandonment;
-Unstable mood and interpersonal relationships,
impulsiveness, self-mutilation, boredom, sense
of emptiness; females > males; splitting is a
major defense mechanism.
-10% kill themselves
-In medical settings: angry, frustrating, non-adherent; suicide attempts, drug abuse; ask about history of victimization
-Tend to provoke strong reactions in health care personnel, from loathing/avoidance to rescue fantasies
-Symptoms improve over time, but never become higher functioning

Question 12

Obsessive-compulsive PD

Answer 12

C - “Compulsive”
Hyper-moral
Preoccupation with order, perfectionism, and
control; ego-syntonic: behavior consistent with
one’s own beliefs and attitudes (vs. OCD).

Question 13

Avoidant

Answer 13

C - “Cowardly”
Hypersensitive to rejection, socially inhibited,
timid, feelings of inadequacy, desires
relationships with others (vs. schizoid).

Question 14

Dependent

Answer 14

C - “clingy”
Submissive and clinging, excessive need to be
taken care of, low self-confidence.

Question 15

personality disorder treatment

Answer 15

Resistant to treatment (think others are the problem)

Psychotherapy with judicious pharmacotherapy