Other Personality Disorders

Question 1

What is the essential feature of antisocial personality disorder?

Answer 1

a pervasive pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others that begins in childhood or early adolescence and continues into adulthood

Question 2

What are the B, C, and D criteria for antisocial personality disorder?

Answer 2

B. the individual is at least 18 years of age

C. there is evidence of conduct disorder with onset before age 15

D. the occurrence of antisocial behavior is not exclusively during the course of schizophrenia or a manic episode

Question 3

How many A criteria does antisocial personality have and how many must an individual display in order to have an accurate diagnosis?

Answer 3

seven; three or more

Question 4

What are criteria A1 and A2 of antisocial personality disorder?

Answer 4

A1. failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors as indicated by repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest

A2. deceitfulness, as indicated by repeated lying, use of aliases, or conning others for personal profit or pleasure

Question 5

What are the A3 and A4 criteria for antisocial personality disorder?

Answer 5

A3. impulsivity or failure to plan ahead

A4. irritability and aggressiveness, as indicated by repeated physical fights or assaults

Question 6

What are the A5 and A6 criteria for antisocial personality disorder?

Answer 6

A5. reckless disregard for safety of self or others

A6. consistent irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain consistent work behavior or honor financial obligations

Question 7

What is the A7 criterion for antisocial personality disorder?

Answer 7

A7. lack of remorse, as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another

Question 8

What disorders are associated with antisocial personality disorder?

Answer 8

• anxiety disorders
• depressive disorders
• substance-related disorders
• somatization disorder
• pathological gambling
• personality features overlapping with borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic personality disorders
• conduct disorder
• AD/HD

Question 9

How can antisocial personality disorder be differentiated from substance-related disorder?

Answer 9

signs of antisocial personality disorder must have been present in childhood and continued into adulthood but there may be a dual diagnosis if both disorders were present during that time period

Question 10

How can antisocial personality disorder be differentiated from narcissistic personality disorder?

Answer 10

• narcissistic personality disorder does not include characteristics of impulsivity, aggression, and deceit
• individuals with antisocial personality disorder may not be as needy of admiration and envy of others
• narcissists usually lack conduct disorder in childhood/criminal behavior in adulthood

Question 11

How can antisocial personality disorder be differentiated from histrionic personality disorder?

Answer 11

histrionics tend to be more exaggerated in their emotions and do not typically engage in antisocial behaviors

Question 12

How can antisocial personality disorder be differentiated from borderline personality disorder?

Answer 12

• borderlines manipulate to gain nurturance, but antisocials manipulate others to gain profit, power, or some other material gratification
• antisocials are less emotionally unstable and more aggressive than borderlines

Question 13

How can antisocial personality disorder be differentiated from paranoid personality disorder?

Answer 13

Antisocial behavior in paranoid personality disorder is due to desire for revenge, whereas in antisocial personality disorder, it is due to a desire for personal gain or exploitation of others.

Question 14

How can antisocial personality disorder be differentiated from adult antisocial behavior?

Answer 14

Adult antisocial behavior may warrant clinical attention and share features of antisocial personality disorder, but cannot be diagnosed as APD unless personality traits are inflexible, maladaptive, and persistent, and cause significant funtional impairment or subjective distress.

Question 15

What is the essential feature of narcissistic personality disorder?

Answer 15

a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy that begins by early adulthood and is present in a variety of contexts

Question 16

How many criteria are there for narcissistic personality disorder and how many of them must an individual meet to be diagnosed accurately?

Answer 16

nine; five or more

Question 17

What are criteria 1 and 2 for narcissistic personality disorder?

Answer 17

1. has grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)
2. is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love

Question 18

What are criteria 3 and 4 for narcissistic personality disorder?

Answer 18

3. believes he or she is “special” and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)
4. requires excessive admiration

Question 19

What are criteria 5 and 6 for narcissistic personality disorder?

Answer 19

5. has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations
6. is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends

Question 20

What are criteria 7 and 8 of narcissistic personality disorder?

Answer 20

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 her

Question 21

What is criterion 9 of narcissistic personality disorder?

Answer 21

9. shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes

Question 22

What is the essential feature of avoidant personality disorder?

Answer 22

a pervasive pattern of social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, and hypersensitivity to negative evaluation that begins in early adulthood and is present in a variety of contexts

Question 23

How many criteria are there for avoidant personality disorder and how many are required for diagnosis?

Answer 23

seven; four or more

Question 24

What are criteria 1 and 2 for avoidant personality disorder?

Answer 24

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

Question 25

What are criteria 3 and 4 for avoidant personality disorder?

Answer 25

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

Question 26

What are criteria 5 and 6 for avoidant personality disorder?

Answer 26

5. is inhibited in new interpersonal situations because of feelings of inadequacy
6. views self as socially inept, personally unappealing, or inferior to others

Question 27

What is criterion 7 for avoidant personality disorder?

Answer 27

7. is unusually reluctant to take personal risks or to engage in any new activities because they may prove embarrassing

Question 28

What is the essential feature of dependent personality disorder?

Answer 28

a pervasive and excessive need to be taken care of that leads to submissive and clinging behavior and fears of separation

Question 29

How many criteria are there for dependent personality disorder and how many are required for diagnosis?

Answer 29

eight; five or more

Question 30

What are criteria 1 and 2 for dependent personality disorder?

Answer 30

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

Question 31

What are criteria 3 and 4 for dependent personality disorder?

Answer 31

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/her own (lack of self confidence in judgment or abilities)

Question 32

What are criteria 5 and 6 for dependent personality disorder?

Answer 32

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 or herself

Question 33

What are criteria 7 and 8 for dependent persnality disorder?

Answer 33

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

Question 34

What is the essential feature of OCPD?

Answer 34

a preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and mental and interpersonal control, at the expense of flexibility, openness, and efficiency

Question 35

How many criteria are there for OCPD and how many are required for diagnosis?

Answer 35

eight; five or more

Question 36

What are criteria 1 and 2 for OCPD?

Answer 36

1. 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

Question 37

What are criteria 3 and 4 for OCPD?

Answer 37

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

Question 38

What are criteria 5 and 6 for OCPD?

Answer 38

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

Question 39

What are criteria 7 and 8 for OCPD?

Answer 39

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