Personality Disorders Flashcards
Define personality
Individual differences in characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving
Factors of personality
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
Define personality disorders
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
Types of personality disorders
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
Features of paranoid personality disorder
Present as suspicious and mistrustful
Misinterpreting events as persecutory
Bearing grudges
Strong sense of personal rights
Features of schizoid personality disorder
Present as detached, solitary, aloof
Little interest in people and sex
Indifferent
Lacking close friends
Features of schizotypical personality disorders
Eccentric
Odd behaviour and thinking
Unconventional beliefs
May develop into schizophrenia
Features of borderline personality disorder
Emotional instability Impulsivity Parasuicidal acts Chronic feelings of emptiness Intense and unstable relationships Fear of abandonment
Features of narcissistic personality disorder
Grandiose
Self-importance
Degrading of others
Features of antisocial personality disorder
Unconcern for feelings of others Disregard for the rules Impulsivity Low tolerance to frustration Failure to take responsibility
Features of histrionic personality disorder
Theatrical and dramatic
Exhibit superficial emotionality
Seductiveness
Suggestibility
Features of anankastic personality disorder
Rigid and stubborn Perfectionistic Preoccupied with rules Order and routine Have higher sense of morality
Features of dependent personality disorder
Needing others to make decisions for them
Fear of abandonment
Unable to cope alone
Need for reassurance
Features of anxious-avoidant personality disorder
Persistent anxiety
Sensitive to rejection
Rend to avoid relationships unless acceptance is guaranteed
Risk factors for personality disorders
Genetics
Environment
- early parenting
- life events such as attachment, loss and trauma
Treatment principles of personality disorders
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
Management of personality disorders
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
Treatment of personality disorders
Psychotropic medication only to treat co-morbidities Therapeutic approaches - group treatment - dialectical behavioural therapy - mentalisation based therapy - transference focused therapy
Define personality disorders
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
Risk factors for personality disorders
Society - low socioeconomic status - social reinforcement of abnormal behaviour Genetics - positive family history Dysfunctional family - poor parenting - parental deprivation Abuse during childhood
Classifications of personality disorders
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)
Features of paranoid personality disorder
SUSPECTS Suspicious of others Unforgiving Spouse fidelity questioned Perceives attack Envious Criticism not liked Trust in other reduced Self-reference
Features of schizoid personality disorder
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
Features of emotionally unstable (borderline) disorder
AM SUICIDE Abandonment feared Mood instability Suicidal behaviour Unstable relationships Intense relationships Control of anger poor Impulsivity Disturbed sense of self Emptiness
Features of dissocial (antisocial) personality disorder
CORRUPT Callous Others blamed Reckless disregard for safety Remorseless Underhanded Poor planning Temper
Features of histrionic personality disorder
PRAISE Provocative behaviour Real concern for physical attractiveness Attention seeking Influence easily Shallow/seductive inappropriately Egocentric/exaggerated emotions
