Personality Disorders Flashcards
The Two Main Characteristics of Personality Disorders
- Impairments of Self-Concept
- Impairments of Interpersonal Functioning
Describe Impairments of Self-Concept
- Involves problems with self-identity and self-concept
Normal Self-Identity
- Experience the self as unique
- Possess a stable positive self-esteem
- Capable to experience and manage a full range of emotions
Impaired Self-Identity
- Over-identifying with others or over-emphasis of independence
- Threats to self-esteem result in pre-occupying emotions
- Distressing to experience a wide range of emotions
Normal Self-Direction
- Pursuing Reasonable Goals
- Using appropriate standards of behaviour
- Ability to reflect on internal processes
Impaired Self-Direction
- Existing goals are a means of gaining external approval
- personal standards may be unreasonably high, low, or unclear
- Life may feel meaningless
Describe Impairments of Interpersonal Functioning
- Involves problems with empathizing and/or maintaining satisfying intimate relationships
Normal Empathy
- Accurately understand others’ experiences and motivations
- Appreciating others’ perspectives
- Being aware of the effect that actions have on others
Impaired Empathy
- Compromised ability to understand and appreciate other people’s experiences
- Too attuned to the experiences of others, but only with respect to the relevance of the self
- Lack of concern or confusion about the effect of one’s behaviour on others
Normal Intimacy
- Maintaining multiple satisfying and enduring relationships
- Desiring and engaging in a number of caring, close relationships
- Striving for cooperation and mutual gain
Impaired Intimacy
- Connections with others may be largely superficial or negative
- Intimate relationships may be based on meeting self-esteem needs
- Pervasive fears of rejection or desire for control
Characteristics of Personality Disorders
- Enduring pattern is inflexible and pervasive
- The pattern is stable and of long duration
- Not better accounted for by another medical disorder
The Four Higher-Order Clusters of Western and Colleagues
- Internalizing Spectrum
- Externalizing Spectrum
- Borderline-Dysregulated Spectrum
- Neurotic Styles
Define Internalizing Spectrum
- Self-blaming
- Prone to anxiety and depression
Personality Prototypes of the Internalizing Spectrum
- Depressive
- Anxious-Avoidant
- Schizoid-Schizotypal
Define Externalizing Spectrum
- Blames others
- Prone to aggression and anger
Personality Prototypes of the Externalizing Spectrum
- Antisocial-Psychopathic
- Paranoid
- Narcissistic
Define Borderline-Dysregulated Spectrum
- Unstable affect
- Perceptions of self and others fluctuate between blaming self and others
Personality Prototypes of the Borderline-Dysregulated Spectrum
- Borderline-Dysregulated
Define Neurotic Styles
- Common Personality Styles
- Milder, but still may be disordered
Personality Prototypes of Neurotic Stypes
- Obsessional
- Hysteric-Histrionic