Personality Disorders- exam 4 Flashcards
What is personality disorder
a heterogenous group of disorders representing extremes of normal personality traits. Usually begins in adolesence
what are things comorbid with personality disorders
people with personality disorders frequently have more than one personality disorder and also frequently have another disorder
what personality disorder is the most dangerous to the patient, what is the most dangerous to others in society
what personality disorders can be helped by medications
border line personality disorder - SSRIs
what 2 personality disorders are considered to be the ‘most reliable’ diagnosis
antisocial personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder
what are three clusters of personality disorders
Odd/Eccentric cluster: paranoid; schizoid, schizotypal
Dramatic/Erratic cluster: borderline; histrionic, narcissistic, antisocial
Anxious/Fearful cluster: avoidant, dependent, obsessive-compulsive
Define ODD/eccentric personality disorders
resemble a less disturbed form of schizophrenia
what are the specific signs of paranoid personality disorder
pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of others; highly jealous, and secretive
- suspects (without sufficient basis) other are exploiting, harming, or decieving them; reads hidden threats into neutral remarks and events
- doubts loyalty of friends, fidelity of spouse
- bears a grudge, unwilling to forgive
- reluctant to confide in others
- quick to anger
Less disturbed than paranoid schizophrenia
what are the characterisitcs of schizoid personality disorder
- pervasive pattern of detachment form social relationships and restricted range of expressed emotion
- neither desires nor enjoys close relationships or being part of a family
- loner: lacks close friends, prefers solitary activities
- anhedonua, takes pleassure in few activities, little interest in sex. ‘Bland exterior,’ rarely experience strong emotions such as joy or anger
- similiar to a prodromal or residual form of schizophrenia
what are the characteristics of shizotypal personality disorder and what is the genetic component
- pervasive pattern of deficient social and interpersonal relationships; cognitive and perceptual distortions; eccentric behavior
- odd beliefs, ideas of reference
- magical thinking: superstitious, clairvoyant, telepathic
- suspiciousness of paranoid ideation
- lack close friends or other confidants
- overtly odd behaviors of schizotypal personality disoder
- genetic link
what are dramatic/erratic personality disorders
Highly variable behavior, dramatic, emotional or erratic
- borderline
- histronic
- narcissistic
- antisocial
what is histrionic personality disorder
- pervasive pattern of excessive emotionality (overtly dramatic) and attention seeking
- seek being center of attention; often acting in sexually seductive of provocative ways
- self-dramatization, theratrical expression of emotion
- highly suggestible (easily influenced by others)
- highly emotional
- psychoanalytic theory focuses on a preoccupation with sex
what is narcissistic personality disorder
- pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy
- grandiose sense of self importance, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements
- self-centered, fantasies of success, power, beauty
- sense of entitlement; exploitative, lack of empathy
- requires excessive admiration, arrogant
what is borderline personality disorder
- pattern of instability of interpersonal relationships, self image, affects (periods of dysphoria, contemptuous anger)
- marked by impulsivity
- alternate idealization and devaluation in social relationships
- intense fear of abandonment
- frantic efforts to avoid abandoment (real or imagined)
- recurrent suicidal gestures or threats
- substance abuse
Impulsively engage in: - sex
- reckless behavior (gambling, drugs, self harm)
- binge-eating
- suicide attempts
- non-life threatening cutting
what is antisocial personality disorder
- antisocial behavior
- presences of conduct disorder before age 15
- most common disorder among convicted felons
when do dissociative symptoms occur in borderline personality disorder
during times of stress
how does a person with narcissitic personality disorder ‘projected personality’ differ from their self esteem
People with NPD never take responsiblity or think they could cause soemthing to go wrong and project wrong doings and insecurities on to other people
people with NPD usually have a fragile self esteem
what is the role in family history in narcisstic personality disorder
Kohut says narcissim develops when child does not get enough approval from parents
what is dyspohoria and splitting in bpd
dyspohoria: low mood/anger/lonliness, etc
splitting: seeing someone or self as all good or all bad (black and white no middle)
what family history is typically associated with bpd
love level of care, high incidence of verbal, emotional, sexual, and physical abuse
what neurotransmitter is found to be low in bpd and what brain areas are implicated
low serotonin
decreased activity in the pre frontal cortex (PFC)
increased activity in the amygdala
what are the 2 components tested on the Hare psychopathy check list
- shows emotional detachment
- has antisocial lifestyle
what is psychopathy and how does it differ from antisocial personality disorder
psychopathy is defined on the basis of though and feelings (distinguishes from criminality)
- poverty of emotinos no sense of shame, lack of guilt, false charm
- manipulation of others
- antisocial behaviors are performed impulsivity
- psychopathy checklist decised by Hare: emotional detachment and antisocial lifestyle
what group is antisocial personality disorder frequent in
convicted felons
what are the 4 categories of inmates tested in Hare startle response study and what were the findings
nonpsychopaths: no antisocial behavior, no emotional detachment
detached white collar: no antisocial behavior, emotional detachment
antisocial: antisocial behavior, no emotional detachment
psychopaths: antisocial behavior and emotional detachment
how reliable is the diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder
one of the most reliable personality disorders
what is the heritability of APD
family environment and poverty, fearlessness; impulsivity; deficits in empathy
who were Cleckley and Hare?
Pyschopathy defined by cleckley on the basis of thoughts and feelings (distinguishes from criminality)
- poverty of emotions: no sense of shame, lack of guilt, false charm,
- manipulation of others
- antisocial behaviors are performed impulsively
Psychopathy checklist devised by hare: emotional detachment, antisocial lifestyle
What are anxious/fearful personality disorders
anxious, lack self-reliance, perfectionisit
- avoidant
- dependent
- obsessive-compulsive
what is avoidant personality disorder
- pervasive of social inhibtion, feelings of inadequacy and hypersensitivty to negative evalutation
- avoid activities that may involve criticism, disapproval, or rejection
- restrain within intimate relationships
- views self as socially inept
- comorbid with, and similar to a social phobia
why are people with avoidant personality disorder asocial
due to fear of criticism, disapproval, or rejection
how is avoidant personality disorder different than schizoid personality disorder
people with schizoid personality disorder are asocial becuase they dont care to have social relationships
people with avoidant personality disoders are asocial out of fear
what is dependent personality disorder
- pervasive and excessive need to be taken care of that leads to submissive and clinging behavior and fears of seperation
- difficulty with everyday decisions
- difficulty expressing disagreement with others
- fear of losing approval
- urgently seeks relationship as source of care and support
- unrealistically preoccupied with fears of being left to take care of self
what is obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
- pervasive preoccupation with orderliness and perfectionism
- mental and interpersonal control at the expense of flexibility, openness, and efficiency
- preoccupation with details, rules, and schedules
- perfectionism that interferes with task completion; too much emphasis on little details
- excessive devotion to work and productivity
- the right way is their way (‘control freaks’)
- appears to be unrelated to OCD
what dont people with obsessive compulsive personality disorder have that people with OCD do have
People with OCD know their obsessions are not rational, people with OCPD do not see any issues with their behaviors
