Personality Disorders

Question 1

Define personality

Answer 1

Individual differences in characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving

Question 2

Factors of personality

Answer 2

Biological
- temperament, physical appearance/characteristics, IQ, disability
Psychological
- early attachment and environment, siblings, peer relationships, schooling, traumas
Social
- socioeconomic status, war/peace, social media, culture, climate, immigration

Question 3

Define personality disorders

Answer 3

Conditions characterised by enduring maladaptive patterns of behaviour, cognition and inner experience, exhibited across many contexts and deviating markedly from those accepted by cultures
- patterns develop early
- inflexible
- associated with significant distress or disability
Persistent, Problematic and Pervasive

Question 4

Types of personality disorders

Answer 4

10 different types which are grouped around 3 clusters
- A - paranoid, schizoid, schizotypical
- B - borderline, narcissistic, antisocial, histrionic
- C - anankastic, dependent, anxious-avoidant
Common for people to have more than one type
May also present with traits of one rather than full disorder

Question 5

Features of paranoid personality disorder

Answer 5

Present as suspicious and mistrustful
Misinterpreting events as persecutory
Bearing grudges
Strong sense of personal rights

Question 6

Features of schizoid personality disorder

Answer 6

Present as detached, solitary, aloof
Little interest in people and sex
Indifferent
Lacking close friends

Question 7

Features of schizotypical personality disorders

Answer 7

Eccentric
Odd behaviour and thinking
Unconventional beliefs
May develop into schizophrenia

Question 8

Features of borderline personality disorder

Answer 8

Emotional instability
Impulsivity
Parasuicidal acts
Chronic feelings of emptiness
Intense and unstable relationships
Fear of abandonment

Question 9

Features of narcissistic personality disorder

Answer 9

Grandiose
Self-importance
Degrading of others

Question 10

Features of antisocial personality disorder

Answer 10

Unconcern for feelings of others
Disregard for the rules
Impulsivity
Low tolerance to frustration
Failure to take responsibility

Question 11

Features of histrionic personality disorder

Answer 11

Theatrical and dramatic
Exhibit superficial emotionality
Seductiveness
Suggestibility

Question 12

Features of anankastic personality disorder

Answer 12

Rigid and stubborn
Perfectionistic 
Preoccupied with rules
Order and routine
Have higher sense of morality

Question 13

Features of dependent personality disorder

Answer 13

Needing others to make decisions for them
Fear of abandonment
Unable to cope alone
Need for reassurance

Question 14

Features of anxious-avoidant personality disorder

Answer 14

Persistent anxiety
Sensitive to rejection
Rend to avoid relationships unless acceptance is guaranteed

Question 15

Risk factors for personality disorders

Answer 15

Genetics
Environment
- early parenting
- life events such as attachment, loss and trauma

Question 16

Treatment principles of personality disorders

Answer 16

Understand importance of attachment
Understanding together crisis indictors to act before crisis
Appropriate boundaries and contract to keep safe
Empowerment and recovery focused approach
Well-coordinated, shared coherent treatment
Good communication between clinicians
Reflective practice groups

Question 17

Management of personality disorders

Answer 17

Harm minimisation
- self harm releases endorphins
- replace self-harm with less damaging strategies - elastic bands, ice cubes
Emotional management
- treatment contracts incorporate person taking responsibility to having self-harm medically treated
Boundaries
- professionals clear in explaining expectations of service user

Question 18

Treatment of personality disorders

Answer 18

Psychotropic medication only to treat co-morbidities
Therapeutic approaches
- group treatment
- dialectical behavioural therapy
- mentalisation based therapy
- transference focused therapy

Question 19

Define personality disorders

Answer 19

Deeply ingrained and enduring pattern of inner experience and behaviour that deviates markedly from expectations in the individual’s culture

• pervasive and inflexible
• onset in adolescence or early adulthood
• stable over time
• leads to distress or impairment

Question 20

Risk factors for personality disorders

Answer 20

Society
 - low socioeconomic status
- social reinforcement of abnormal behaviour
Genetics
- positive family history
Dysfunctional family
- poor parenting
- parental deprivation
Abuse during childhood

Question 21

Classifications of personality disorders

Answer 21

Cluster A = odd/eccentric
- paranoid
- schizoid
Cluster B = dramatic/emotional
- emotionally unstable (borderline)
- dissocial (antisocial)
- histrionic
Cluster C = anxious/fearful
- dependent
- avoidant (anxious)
- anankastic (obsessional)

Question 22

Features of paranoid personality disorder

Answer 22

SUSPECTS
Suspicious of others
Unforgiving 
Spouse fidelity questioned
Perceives attack
Envious
Criticism not liked
Trust in other reduced
Self-reference

Question 23

Features of schizoid personality disorder

Answer 23

DISTANT
Detached (flattened) affect
Indifferent to praise or criticism
Sexual drive reduced
Tasks done alone
Absence of close friends
No emotion
Takes pleasure in few activities

Question 24

Features of emotionally unstable (borderline) disorder

Answer 24

AM SUICIDE
Abandonment feared
Mood instability
Suicidal behaviour
Unstable relationships
Intense relationships
Control of anger poor
Impulsivity
Disturbed sense of self
Emptiness

Question 25

Features of dissocial (antisocial) personality disorder

Answer 25

CORRUPT
Callous
Others blamed
Reckless disregard for safety
Remorseless
Underhanded
Poor planning
Temper

Question 26

Features of histrionic personality disorder

Answer 26

PRAISE
Provocative behaviour
Real concern for physical attractiveness
Attention seeking
Influence easily
Shallow/seductive inappropriately
Egocentric/exaggerated emotions