Personality Disorders

Question 1

What is a personality disorder?

Answer 1

Enduring pattern of inner experience and behaviour that deviates markedly from expectation of individual’s culture.

Question 2

Personality disorders have impairment in at least 2 areas of functioning. What are these areas (**there’s more than 2)?

Answer 2

Cognition, affectivity, interpersonal relationship, impulse control

Question 3

How many personality disorders are there?

Answer 3

10

Question 4

How are personality disorders grouped and what are these groups?

Answer 4

3 clusters: A, B, and C (mad, bad, and sad)

Question 5

List each personality disorder in each cluster.

Answer 5

Cluster A: paranoid, schizoid, schizotypal

Cluster B: borderline, narcissistic, antisocial, histrionic

Cluster C: obsessive-compulsive, dependent, avoidant

Question 6

Which cluster has the highest proportion of PD patients in treatment?

Answer 6

Cluster B

Question 7

What is paranoid PD?

Answer 7

pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of others’ motives

Question 8

What is schizoid PD?

Answer 8

detachment from social relationships without overt longing for others and restricted emotional expression

Question 9

What is schizotypal PD?

Answer 9

Acute discomfort in close relationships; multiple oddities and eccentricities (e.g. magical thinking, illusions)

Question 10

What is borderline PD?

Answer 10

pattern of instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affect; usually incr impulsivity

Question 11

What is histrionic PD?

Answer 11

dramatic, emotional, attention-seeking style

Question 12

What is narcissistic PD?

Answer 12

pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy

Question 13

What is antisocial PD?

Answer 13

pattern of disregard for, and violation of, rights of others

Question 14

What is the mnemonic for borderline PD?

Answer 14

5 or more of IMPULSIVE: impulsive, moodiness, paranoia, unstable self-image, labile intense relationships, suicidal gesture, inappropriate anger, vulnerability of abandonment, emptiness

Question 15

What is the minimum age required to be diagnosed with antisocial PD?

Answer 15

18

Question 16

What is dependent PD?

Answer 16

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

Question 17

What is avoidant PD?

Answer 17

pervasive pattern of social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, and hypersensitivity to negative evaluation

Question 18

Avoidant PD is generally understood as less severe symptoms on the same spectrum as ___________.

Answer 18

social phobia.

Question 19

What is transferance?

Answer 19

the patient’s reaction to you, based on lessons learned in previous relationships

Question 20

What is countertransference?

Answer 20

your reaction to the patient, including both your previous relationship-learning and the impact of the patient’s transferance on you

Question 21

From the DSM-IV-TR, what is the multi-axial diagnosis format?

Answer 21

Axis I: clinical disorders (e.g. disorders of mood, anxiety, psychosis, etc.)

Axis II: personality disorders, mental retardation

Axis III: general medical conditions

Axis IV: psychosocial/enviro problems

Axis V: global assessment of function