Chapter 6 - Personality Disorders Flashcards
what are the characteristics of personality disorders?
- disordered personality traits become evident by adolescences or early adulthood and continue through much of adult life
- become so deeply ingrained they are highly resistant to change
what puts children at a greater-than-average risk for developing personality disorders?
children with childhood behaviour problems such as conduct disorder, depression, anxiety, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and attention problems are at a greater risk
what are the three clusters of personality disorders in the DSM?
- cluster A: people who are perceived as odd or eccentric
- cluster B: people whose behaviour is overly dramatic, emotional, or erratic
- cluster C: people who often appear anxious or fearful
which personality disorders fall into Cluster A?
- paranoid personality disorder
- schizoid personality disorder
- schizotypal personality disorder
which personality disorders fall into Cluster B?
- antisocial personality disorder
- borderline personality disorder
- histrionic personality disorder
- narcissistic personality disorder
which personality disorders fall into Cluster C?
- avoidant personality disorder
- dependent personality disorder
- obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
what is the prevalence of paranoid personality disorder?
- 2.3%-4.4%
- more common in men
what is the prevalence of schizoid personality disorder?
3.1%-4.9%
what is the prevalence of schizotypal personality disorder?
3%
what is the prevalence of antisocial personality disorder?
- 4.3%
- more common in men
- 2nd most frequent disorder (44.1%) in Canadian male offenders
what are the characteristics of borderline personality disorder?
- fear of abandonment
- feelings towards others are intense and shifting
- tend to view other people as all good or all bad
what is the prevalence of borderline personality disorder?
1.6-5.9% of the general population and about 20% of psychiatric inpatients
why might people with borderline personality disorder engage in impulsive acts of self-mutilation/self-harm?
- means of temporarily blocking or escaping from deep, emotional pain
- expression of anger
- means of manipulating others
what is the prevalence of narcissistic personality disorder?
- 0-6.2%
- more than half of people diagnosed are men
what are the characteristics of narcissistic personality disorder?
- preoccupied with fantasies of success and power, ideal love, or recognition for brilliance or beauty
- sense of entitlement leads them to exploit others
- treat sex partners as devices for their own pleasure or to brace their self-esteem
what is the prevalence of avoidant personality disorder?
- 2.4%
- equally common in both men and women
what is the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder?
- 2.1-7.9%
- twice as common in men
what are the problems associated with the classification of personality disorders?
- lack of demonstrated reliability and validity
- overlap among disorders
- difficulty in distinguishing between variations in normal and abnormal behaviour
- sexist biases
psychodynamic perspective of personality disorders
- traditional Freudian theory focused on unresolved Oepidal conflicts in explaining normal and abnormal personality development
- more recent psychodynamic theories focus on the development of the sense of self in explaining disorders such as narcissistic and borderline personality disorders
main professional psychodynamic theories
- Hans Kohut: self psychology
- Otto Kernberg: splitting
- Margaret Mahler: separation-individuation
learning perspectives of personality disorders
- view personality disorders in terms of maladaptive patterns of behaviour rather than personality traits
- interested in defining the learning histories and situational factors that give rise to maladaptive behaviour and the reinforcers that maintain them
family perspectives of personality disorders
- disturbances in family relationships underlie the development of personality disorders
- a number of researchers have linked a history of physical or sexual abuse or neglect in childhood to the development of personality disorders
- extreme fears of abandonment may result from a failure to develop a secure parental attachment
cognitive-behavioural perspectives of personality disorders
- observation and imitation
- cognitive-behaviour oriented psychologists have shown that the ways in which people with personality disorders interpret their social experiences influence their behaviour
- antisocial adolescents are more likely to interpret social cues as provocations or intentions of ill will
biological perspectives of personality disorders
- genetics plays a role in the development of traits that underlie personality disorders
- people with a genetic predisposition for these traits may be more vulnerable if they encounter environmental influences, such as being reared in a dysfunctional family
- genetically based behaviour can dictate what environments a person will seek out
sociocultural perspectives of personality disorders
- examines the social conditions that may contribute to the development of the behaviour patterns identified as personality disorders
what is the psychodynamic approach to treating personality disorders?
help people with personality disorders become more aware of the roots of their self-defeating behaviour patterns and learn more adaptive ways of relating to others
what is the cognitive-behavioural approach to treating personality disorders?
behaviour therapists focus on attempting to replace maladaptive behaviour with adaptive behaviour (problem solving perspective)
what are the phases of the Canadian Treatment Services
- safety and crisis support
- containment of psychological stress through continuing care
- control and regulation skills
- exploration and change
- long-term treatment that focuses on the integration of clear boundaries between self and others
