Personality Disorders

Question 1

What is a personality disorder?

Answer 1

A severe disturbance in the characterological condition and behavioural tendencies of the individual, usually involving several areas of the personality and nearly always associated with considerable personal and social disruption.

Question 2

Criteria for clinical diagnosis or Personality Disorders are:
7 marks

Answer 2

• Disharmonious attitudes and behaviour
• Persistent abnormal behaviour that is not limited to episodes of mental illness
• Abnormal behaviour patterns that is maladaptive to a wide range of social situations
• Manifest in childhood/adolescence and continue into adulthood
• Disorder leads to personal distress - often come later into presentation
• Difficulties in work and social relationships
• Distress must not be limited in one area

Question 3

There are 3 categories of PDs, A, B, and C. What are their features?

Answer 3

A - paranoid, suspicious, emotionally detatched (Paranoid, Schizoid, Schizotypal)
B - difficulty regulating emotions, conflict with others (Antisocial, Borderline, Histrionic, Narcissistic)
C - anxious, fearful of others (Avoidant, Obsessive-compulsive, Dependant)

Question 4

Paranoid PD features:

Answer 4

Guarded, suspicious, mistrustful
Very sensitive to criticism
Restrict their activities - leading to reduced emotional development, which significantly affects their relationships with others
Find it difficult to seek help

Question 5

Schizoid PD features:

Answer 5

Introverted, unconfortable in social situations
Rarely have close friends
Avoid social activities
Limited emotional range
Low motivation to change

Question 6

Schizotypal PD features:

Answer 6

Have problems with social and interpersonal realtoinshps due to lack of understanding of the dynamics of relationships - avoid forming them
May have superstitious of paranoid beliefs causing them to misinterpret situations

Question 7

Antisocial PD features:

Answer 7

Break rules
Show disregard for other peoples feelings and consequences for their actions
Act in impulsive and high risk ways

Question 8

Borderline PD (EUPD) features:

Answer 8

Prone to feeling rejected and abandoned by others - have unstable relationships
Disordered and unstable self image
Severe mood swings
Self harm and high risk of suicide

Question 9

Histrionic PD features:

Answer 9

Like being the centre of attention

Anxious about feeling ignored

Question 10

Narcissistic PD features:

Answer 10

Inflated self importance - superior to other
Fantasies about unlimited success
Need attention and admiration
Limited insight to condition - rarely seek help

Question 11

Avoidant PD features:

Answer 11

Avoid social situations due to fear of being criticised or rejected
Extreme shyness
Very self critical

Question 12

Dependant PD features:

Answer 12

The need to be taken care of
Difficulty expressing disagreement due to worry about losing approval
Fear of being left to look after self

Question 13

Obsessive Compulsive PD features:

Answer 13

NOT OCD
Anxious about mess and disorganisation
Everything must be just right and nothing must be left to chance
Others may view them as controlling

Question 14

What is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)?

Answer 14

Psychological test that assesses personality traits
MMPI-2 most commonly used
567 true/false questions
Assesses 10 areas:
- Hypochondriasis
- Depression
- Hysteria
- Psychopathic deviate
- Masculinity/Femininity
- Paranoia
- Psychasthenia
- Schizophrenia
- Hypomania
- Social introversion