PD Cluster C "The Anxious Cluster"

Question 1

Avoidant Personality Disorder

Answer 1

• Pervasive pattern of social discomfort and anxiety
  - Devastated by criticism or perceived approval
  - Unwillingness to enter into relationships with others unless uncritical acceptance is guaranteed
  - Avoidance of social situations
  - Exaggeration of risks involved in everyday life
  - Affects employment, social life

Question 2

How is avoidant PD different from “odd cluster”?

Answer 2

• Avoidant PD: want social interaction but too anxious about being judged negatively
  
  • Schizoid PD: uninterested in social interaction
  • Schizotypal PD: anxiety tied to off behaviors and beliefs
  • Paranoid PD: avoidance of social interaction due to fears and mistrust

Question 3

Dependent Personality Disorder

Answer 3

• Pervasive pattern of dependent and submissive behavior
  - Lack of self confidence
  - Lack of a sense of autonomy
  - View that self is weak, others are powerful
• Fears of rejection, abandonment, and being alone
  
  • Extreme difficulty making everyday decisions- likely to leave up to others
  • Difficulty initiating activities on one’s own
  • Extremely passive in interpersonal relationships
  • ‘Cling’ to partners in relationships, seek another relationship immediately after one ends
  • Intentionally take on ‘helpless’ role

Question 4

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder

Answer 4

• Pervasive pattern of rigidity and perfectionism
  - Need to get things ‘right’ interferes with getting anything done
  - Seen as ‘control freak’ who must have own way
  
  • NO actual obsessions or compulsions
    
    • Behaviors are a dominant feature of personality, not linked to anxiety control like in OCD
  • Prevalence is around 1%
  • Constantly seeking perfection, never satisfied with performance
  • Has extremely high standards, follows rules strictly
  • Preoccupation with details, lists, schedules, or organization rather than the point of the activity
  • Rigid sense of morality, very judgmental
  • Reluctant to delegate tasks to others
  • Bad time-management skills
  • Stingy with both money and emotions