chapter 12 Flashcards
personality
…enduring characteristics and behavior that comprise a person’s unique adjustment to life, including major traits, interests, drives, values, self-concept, abilities, and emotional patterns (APA)
Describe the set of distinctive psychological traits and behavioral characteristics that make each of us unique and help account for the consistency of our behavior
personality disorders
Excessively rigid behavior patterns, or ways of relating to others, that ultimately become self-defeating
9% of population
Evident by adolescence or early adulthood
ego syntonic and ego dystonic
ego syntonic
Referring to behaviors or feelings that are perceived as natural parts of the self
ego dystonic
Referring to behaviors or feelings that are perceived to be alien to one’s self identity
3 Clusters of Personality Disorders
- Odd or Eccentric Behavior
- Dramatic, Emotional, or Erratic Behavior
- Anxious or Fearful Behavior
Odd or Eccentric Behavior
Paranoid Personality Disorder
Schizoid Personality Disorder
Schizotypal Personality Disorder
For each: (odd or eccentric behavior)
B) does not occur exclusively during the course of schizophrenia, a bipolar disorder or depressive disorder with psychotic features, or another psychotic disorder and is not attributable to the physiological effects of another medical condition
Paranoid Personality Disorder
The tendency to interpret other people’s behavior as deliberately threatening or demeaning
Excessively mistrust of others
Overly sensitive to criticism
Exaggerated and unwarranted suspicions
criteria for Paranoid Personality Disorder
A pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of others such that their motives are interpreted as malevolent, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by four (or more) of the following:
- Suspects without sufficient basis, that others are exploiting, harming, or deceiving him or her
- Is preoccupied with unjustified doubts about the loyalty or trustworthiness of friends or associates
- Is reluctant to confide in others because of unwarranted fear that the information will be used maliciously against him or her
- Reads hidden demeaning or threatening meanings into being remarks or events
- Persistently bears grudges
- Perceives attacks on his or her character or reputation that are not apparent to others and is quick to react angrily or to counterattack
- Has recurrent suspicions, without justification, regarding fidelity of spouse or sexual partner
Schizoid Personality Disorder
A personality disorder characterized by persistent lack of interest in social relationships, flattened affect, and social withdrawal
Described as a loner or an eccentric
criteria of Schizoid Personality Disorder
A pervasive pattern of detachment from social relationships and a restricted range of expression of emotions in interpersonal settings, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by four (or more) of the following:
- Neither desires nor enjoys close relationships, including being part of a family
- Almost always chooses solitary activities
- Has little, if any, interest in having sexual experiences with another person
- Takes pleasure in few, if any, activities
- Lacks close friends or confidants other than first degree relatives
- Appears indifferent to the praise or criticism of others
- Shows emotional coldness, detachment, or flattened affectivity
Schizotypal personality disorder
A personality disorder characterized by lack of close personal relationships or eccentricities of thought and behavior, but without clearly psychotic features
Not disturbed enough to merit a diagnosis of schizophrenia
Lack a coherent sense of self
Unusual perceptions or illusions
males > females (slightly)
Ideas of Reference, Magical Thinking
Ideas of reference
Believing that others are talking about them behind their backs
magical thinking
Such as believing they possess a “sixth sense” or that others can sense their feelings
criteria for Schizotypal personality disorder
A pervasive pattern of social and interpersonal deficits marked by acute discomfort with, and reduced capacity for, close relationships as well as by cognitive or perceptual distortions and eccentricities of behavior, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:
- Ideas of reference
- Odd beliefs or magical thinking that influences behavior and is inconsistent with subcultural norms
- Unusual perceptual experiences, including bodily illusions
- Odd thinking and speech
- Suspicious or paranoid ideation
- Inappropriate or constricted affect
- Behavior or appearance that is odd, eccentric, or peculiar
- Lack of close friends or confidants other than first degree relatives
- Excessive social anxiety that does not diminish with familiarity and tends to be associated with paranoid fears rather than negative judgements about self
Dramatic, Emotional, or Erratic Behavior
Antisocial Personality Disorder
Borderline Personality Disorder
Histrionic Personality Disorder
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Antisocial personality disorder
A personality disorder characterized by antisocial and irresponsible behavior and a lack of remorse for misdeeds
Impulsive, fail to live up to their commitments
2% of women, 6% of men
Psychopath and sociopath: pathological vs social deviance
Declines with age
Two dimensions: personality dimension and behavioral dimension
- Not entirely separate, many antisocial individuals show evidence of both sets of traits
personality dimension
Consists of traits such as superficial charm, selfishness, lack of empathy, callous and remorseless use of others, and disregard for others’ feelings and welfare
Psychopathic traits, but don’t become law breakers
behavioral dimension
Characterized by the adoption of a generally unstable and antisocial lifestyle, including frequent problems with law, poor employment history, and unstable relationships
criteria for antisocial personality disorder
A) A pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of rights of others, occurring since age 15 years, as indicated by three (or more) of the following:
1. Failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors, as indicated by repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest
2. Deceitfulness, as indicated by repeated lying, use of aliases, or conning others for personal profit or pleasure
3. Impulsivity or failure to plan ahead
4. Irritability and aggressiveness, as indicated by repeated physical fights or assaults
5. Reckless disregard for safety of self or others
6. Consistent irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain consistent work behavior or honor financial obligations
7. Lack of remorse, as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another
B) The individual is at least 18 years of age
C) There is evidence of conduct disorder with onset before age 15 years
D) The occurrence of antisocial behavior is not exclusively during the course of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder
Borderline Personality Disorder
Characterized by such cardinal features as a deep sense of emptiness, an unstable self-image, a history of turbulent and unstable relationships, dramatic mood changes, impulsivity, difficulty regulating negative emotions, self-injurious behavior, and recurrent suicidal behaviors
Uncertain about their personal identities
Women - inwardly directed aggression; self-harm
Men - outward expressions of aggression
Early adulthood; can be seen in adolescence
splitting
splitting
Inability to reconcile the positive and negative aspects of one’s experience of oneself and others
criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder
A pervasive pattern of instability of interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affects, and marked impulsivity, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more of the following):
1. Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment
2. A pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation
3. Identity disturbance: markedly and persistently unstable self-image or sense of self
4. Impulsivity in at least two areas that are potentially self-damaging
5. Recurrent suicidal behavior, gestures, or threats, or self-mutilating behavior
6. Affective instability due to a marked reactivity of mood
7. Chronic feelings of emptiness
8. Inappropriate, intense anger or difficulty controlling anger
9. Transient, stress-related paranoid ideation or severe dissociative symptoms
Narcissistic personality disorder
Have an inflated or grandiose send of themselves and extreme need for admiration
Brag about their accomplishments and expect others to shower them with praise
Mainly men duh
criteria for Narcissistic personality disorder
A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:
1. Has a grandiose sense of self-importance
2. Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
3. Believes that he or she is “special” and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people
4. Requires excessive admiration
5. Has a sense of entitlement
6. Is interpersonally exploitative
7. Lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others
8. Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or here
9. Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes
Histrionic Personality Disorder
Characterized by excessive emotionality and an overwhelming need to be the center of attention
criteria for Histrionic Personality Disorder
A pervasive pattern of excessive emotionality and attention seeking, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:
1. Is uncomfortable in situations in which he or she is not the center of attention
2. Interaction with others is often characterized by inappropriate sexually seductive or provocative behavior
3. Displays rapidly shifting and shallow expression of emotions
4. Continuously uses physical appearance to draw attention to self
5. Has a style of speech that is excessively impressionistic and lacking in detail
6. Shows self-dramatization, theatricality, and exaggerated expression emotion
7. Is susceptible
8. Considers relationships to be more intimate than they actually are
Anxious or Fearful Behavior
- Avoidant Personality Disorder
- Dependent Personality Disorder
- Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder
Avoidant Personality Disorder
A personality disorder characterized by avoidance of social relationships due to extreme fears of rejection
criteria for Avoidant Personality Disorder
A pervasive pattern of social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, and hypersensitivity to negative evaluation, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by four (or more) of the following:
1. Avoids occupational activities that involve significant interpersonal contact because of fears of criticism, disapproval, or rejection
2. Is unwilling to get involved with people unless certain of being liked
3. Shows restraint within intimate relationships because of the fear of being shamed or ridiculed
4. Is preoccupied with being criticized or rejected in social situations
5. Is inhibited in new interpersonal situations because of feelings of inadequacy
6. Views self as socially inept, personally unappealing, or inferior to others
7. Is unusually reluctant to take personal risks or to engage in any new activities because they may prove embarrassing
Dependent Personality Disorder
A personality disorder characterized by difficulty making independent decisions and overly dependent behavior
Submissive and clingy; fear of separation
criteria for Dependent Personality Disorder
A pervasive and excessive need to be taken care of that leads to submissive and clinging behavior and fears of separation, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:
1. Has difficulty making everyday decisions without an excessive amount of advice and reassurance from others
2. Needs others to assume responsibility for most major areas of his or her life
3. Has difficulty expressing disagreement with others because of fear of loss of support or approval
4. Has difficulty initiating projects or doing things on his or her own
5. Goes to excessive lengths to obtain nurturance and support from others, to the point of volunteering to do things that are unpleasant
6. Feels uncomfortable or helpless when alone because of exaggerated fears of being unable to care for himself/herself
7. Urgently seeks another relationship as a source of care and support when a close relationship ends
8. Is unrealistically preoccupied with fears of being left to take care of himself or herself
Obsessive compulsive personality disorder
A personality disorder characterized by rigid ways of relating to others, perfectionist tendencies, lack of spontaneity, and excessive attention to detail
Occupied with the need for perfection; cannot complete work on time
criteria for Obsessive compulsive personality disorder
A pervasive pattern of preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and mental and interpersonal control, at the expense of flexibility, openness, and efficiency, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by four (or more) of the following:
1. Is preoccupied with details, rules, lists, order, organization, or schedules to the extent that the major point of the activity is lost
2. Shows perfectionism that interferes with task completion
3. Is excessively devoted to work and productivity to the exclusion of leisure activities and friendships
4. Is overconscientious, scrupulous, and inflexible about matters of morality, ethics, or values
5. Is unable to discard worn-out or worthless objects even when they have no sentimental value
6. Is reluctant to delegate tasks or to work with others unless they submit to exactly his or her way of doing things
7. Adopts a miserly spending style toward both self and others; money is viewed as something to be hoarded for future catastrophes
8. Shows rigidity and stubbornness
Problems with Classifications
- Categories vs Dimensions
- Problems with distinguishing personality disorders from other clinical syndromes
- Overlap among disorders
- Difficulty in distinguishing between normal and abnormal behavior
- Confusing labels with explanations
- Sexist biases
Psychodynamic Perspectives
of personality disorders
- Hans Kohut
- Otto Kernberg
- Margert Mahler
Hans Kohut
Narcissism as a facade
Healthy narcissism in childhood
Lack of parental empathy and support → pathological narcissism
Otto Kernberg
Splitting (when we are babies)
- All good (people/a person)
- All bad
Oscillation between the two
Margert Mahler
Symbiosis
Separation-individuation
Failure to develop this developmental task
Learning Perspectives
of personality disorders
Learning of maladaptive habits
- Excessive parental discipline → OCPD
- Attention to appearance and performance, dramatic, emotional and attention seeking parents → Histrionic
- Absence of rewarding for ‘right things’ and lack of connection between behavior and reinforcement → antisocial
- Bandura Observational learning
Family Perspectives
of personality disorders
Disturbed family relationships play roles in the development of many personality disorders
Physical or sexual abuse, neglect involve high correlations
BPD - splitting, trauma
APD - absence of anxiety that restrains antisocial/criminal behavior
Antisocial personality disorder is connected with parent rejection or neglect and parental modeling of antisocial behavior
- Children who are rejected or neglected by their parents may not develop attachment to others
authoritarian/overprotective family → dependent personality traits
Biological Perspectives
of personality disorders
- Genetic Factors
- Family likelihood of diagnoses > general population
- Links of genetic factors to personality traits
- Diathesis stress model
- Lack of emotional responsiveness
- Lack of anxiety
- Galvanic skin response (GSR), lower levels of physiological responses with antisocial personalities
- The Craving for Stimulation Model
- Needs for higher levels of stimulation in antisocial personalities
- Brain abnormalities
Sociocultural Perspectives
of personality disorders
Effects of:
- Poverty
- Urban blight
- Drug abuse
….can lead to family disorganization and disintegration, making it less likely that children will receive the nurturance and support to help them develop more socially adaptive behavior patterns
psychodynamic Treatment of Personality Disorders
Awareness on behavior impacting relationships
Understanding emotional responses in relationships
Underlying roots of self-defeating behaviors
cognitive behavioral Treatment of Personality Disorders
Change maladaptive behaviors and dysfunctional thought patterns
DBT - Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
biological Treatment of Personality Disorders
Drug therapy does not directly treat personality disorders
Antidepressant and antianxiety drugs are used to treat depression and anxiety in people with personality disorders
impulse control disorders
Difficulties in controlling or restraining impulsive behavior
types of impulse control disorders
Kleptomania
Intermittent Explosive Disorder
Pyromania
kleptomania
Compulsion to steal, usually involving items of little value to the person
Pleasurable excitement or gratification when stealing
Little is known, psychodynamic formulations view as a defense against unconscious penis envy or castration anxiety
intermittent explosive disorder
Episodes of violent rage combined with acts of impulsive aggression and violence
May involve irregularities in serotonin transmission to the brain
Appear to be links between childhood trauma, violent behaviors, and development of IED
Anger management training
pyromania
Compulsive fire setting
Perhaps desire to control fire fighters or event assist in their work
Motives: anger and revenge
CBT can be used to help a person identify thoughts and situational cues that prompt urges
