Personality Disorders Flashcards
Cluster A
odd or eccentric
paranoid, schizoid, schizotypal
Cluster B
dramatic, emotional, erratic (unpredictable)
antisocial, borderline, histrionic, narcissistic
Cluster C
fearful or anxious
avoidant, dependent, obsessive-compulsive
ego-syntonic
consistent with one’s identity; patient doesnt feel treatment is necessary and dont see themselves as the issue
Kind vs Degree
disorders used to be thought of as “all or nothing”
more helpful to see it as a level or intensity of the disorder
personality disorder stats
- prevalence
- origins
- course
- affects 10% of gen pop
- thought to begin in childhood
- chronic course if untreated/may transition into different disorder
gender bias in diagnosis
- men more likely to be seen as aggressive and detached
- woman name more associated w insecurity and submission. more diagnosed as histrionic (attention seeking)
- male name more associated w antisocial
paranoid personality disorder (A)
- causes
- treatments
- unjustified mistrust and suspicion; sensitive to criticism
- causes not well understood; may involve early learning that people and world are dangerous
- dont usually seek professional help on their own
- treatment focuses on development of trust. CBT
schizoid personality disorder (A)
- symptoms
- treatments
- person is more of a voluntary loner.
- person who doesn’t have a lot of relationships and don’t seek them.
- Have limited emotions. Preference for social isolation resembles autism.
- Do not seek professional help on their own typically bc they don’t see anything wrong
- treatments include building empathy and social skills; focus on value of interpersonal relationships
schizotypal personality disorder (A)
- behavior and dress are odd; magical thinking
- Maybe a milder form of schizophrenia
- Socially isolated and highly suspicious
- Many meet criteria for major depression
antisocial personality disorder (B)
- symptoms
- predisposition
- neurobiological theories
- genetic influences
- treatment
“im entitled to break the rules”
- Ppl fail to comply w social norms; Don’t feel bad, guilt, etc. after doing bad things like stealing
- Lack of anxiety, lack of fear
- Repeatedly hurting other people
- Higher tendency to go to prison sooner but not later bc they start to understand they cant be like that to get what they want
- Feel reward but not punishment
- Inconsistent parental discipline can be predisposition
- neurobiological theories
generally under-aroused (cortical arousal) so need more extreme experiences to feel a sensation
cortical immaturity - Genetic influences:
More likely to develop antisocial behavior if parents have history of antisocial behavior - Few seek treatment on their own
May need to focus on selfish approach (ex: saying “don’t hurt ppl cause then you’ll go to prison and can’t do fun things)
borderline personality disorder (B)
- symptoms
- comorbidity
- causes
- treatment
- Unstable moods and relationships
- Impulsivity, fear of abandonment, very poor self image
- Self-damaging habits
- Comorbidity: 80% have major depression, 67% substance abuse
Causes:
- Trauma and abuse increase risk
- May have impaired limbic system
- Emotional sensitivity + invalidating environment = chronic emotion dysregulation
- Not getting any kind of validation from normative stress causes them to learn they have to have more extreme events to get validation.
Treatment:
- Dialectical behavior therapy is most promising treatment (focus on dual reality of acceptance of difficulties and need for change)
- Have a feeling of worry of abandonment.
- New person comes to their life and they feel deeply in love and highly regard them; When there is a slight disappointment, it goes all the way down
histrionic personality disorder (B)
- Dramatic and attention seeking
- May be sexually provocative
- More commonly diagnosed in females (maybe cause of biases)
- co occurs with antisocial
treatment: focus on attention seeking and long term negative consequences
narcissistic personality disorder (B)
- Exaggerated and unreasonable sense of self-importance
- Preoccupation with receiving attention
- Lack sensitivity and compassion for other people
- Highly sensitive to criticism; envious and arrogant
- Treatments:
Focus on grandiosity, lack of empathy, unrealistic thinking
Issue: ppl typically don’t think there is something wrong
avoidant personality disorder (c)
- Have to look at the WHY of how they are feeling bc they also look like antisocial and schizoid
- Extreme sensitivity to the opinions of others
- Highly avoidant of most interpersonal relationships
- Interpersonally anxious and fearful of rejection
- Low self esteem
Causes:
- early experiences of rejection
- occurs more often in relatives with schizophrenia
Treatment
- Similar treatment for social phobia
- Focus on social skills entering anxiety provoking situations
- Difference is a long term pattern from childhood
