Task 5 - NPD and other Personality Disorders

Question 1

Multiaxial system

Answer 1

Used in previous editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), aimed to provide a comprehensive assessment of an individual’s mental health.
* Axis I was used to classify clinical
disorders and other conditions that may require clinical attention.
* Axis II was dedicated to personality disorders and intellectual disabilities

Question 2

Cluster A Disorders

Answer 2

1. Paranoid Personality Disorder
2. Schizoid Personality Disorder
3. Schizotypical Personality Disorder

Question 3

Paranoid Personality Disorder (PPD)

Definition

Answer 3

A pervasive pattern of distrust and suspicion of others, interpreting their
motives as malevolent, without sufficient evidence

Question 4

Schizoid Personality Disorder (SPD)

Definition

Answer 4

Characterized by a pervasive pattern of detachment from social relationships, displaying a limited range of emotional expression, and preferring solitary activities

Question 5

Schizotypal Personality Disorder (STPD)

Definition

Answer 5

Involves odd beliefs, eccentric behavior, and mild distortions of reality
similar to schizophrenia but without completely losing touch with reality. It includes social discomfort and
eccentricities in perception and behavior

Question 6

Cluster B Disorders

Answer 6

1. Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
2. Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD)
3. Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)

Question 7

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

Definition

Answer 7

A mental health disorder characterized by intense mood swings, unstable
self-image, impulsive behavior, and difficulties in relationships. Individuals often experience fear of abandonment and engage in self-harming behavior

Question 8

Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD)

Answer 8

A personality disorder involving excessive attention-seeking behavior,
emotional dramatics, and an intense desire to be the center of attention. People with HPD may struggle to maintain deep, meaningful relationships

Question 9

Cluster C Disorders

Answer 9

1. Avoidant Personality Disorder
2. Dependent Personality Disorder
3. Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder

Question 10

Avoidant Personality Disorder

Definition

Answer 10

Individuals with this disorder have an intense fear of rejection or criticism and
tend to avoid social situations due to low self-esteem and hypersensitivity to negative evaluation

Question 11

Dependent Personality Disorder

Definition

Answer 11

People with dependent personality disorder exhibit an excessive need to be taken care of, fear of separation, and an inability to make decisions without excessive advice or reassurance from
others

Question 12

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder

Definition

Answer 12

Individuals display perfectionism, excessive concern with orderliness, inflexibility, and a preoccupation with details, which can interfere with their ability to complete tasks and engage with others socially.

Question 13

Alternative model for diagnosing Personality Disorders

Answer 13

Three steps in diagnosing:
1) Assess level of impairment in self-identity or relationships.
2) Evaluate presence of pathological personality traits: Negative Affectivity, Detachment, Antagonism,
Disinhibition, Psychoticism.
3) Identify specific personality disorders: Antisocial, Avoidant, Borderline, Narcissistic,
Obsessive-Compulsive, Schizotypal, or diagnose as “Personality Disorder - Trait Specified.”

Question 14

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Definition

Answer 14

People with this disorder display a sense of superiority and entitlement, believing they deserve special treatment. This attitude often involves exploiting or disregarding others to achieve their goals.

Question 15

Distinguishing Features of Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Answer 15

1. Grandiosity: Central to this disorder is an exaggerated sense of self-importance, often accompanied
   by fantasies of power and success
2. Interpersonal Behavior: They expect compliance, disregard others’ needs, and exhibit arrogance in interactions.
3. No abandonment concerns: Unlike borderline personality disorder, they don’t experience the same fears of abandonment but still crave admiration

Question 16

Eastwick et al.: Relationship between self-love, love and narcissism

Answer 16

Examined the relationships among narcissism, self-esteem, and love styles. Found that narcissism was
associated with specific love styles, and this association was independent of self-esteem

Question 17

Finkel et al.: Relationship between narcissim, love styles and relationship satisfaction

Answer 17

Investigated the effects of narcissism on love styles and relationship satisfaction.
Found that narcissism was related to less satisfaction in romantic relationships, and this relationship was partially mediated by specific love styles

Question 18

Finkel et al.: Narcissismand love styles

Answer 18

Explored the role of self-esteem in the relationship between narcissism and love styles.
Found that self-esteem did not moderate the association between narcissism and love styles, suggesting that narcissism has unique effects on love styles independent of self-esteem

Question 19

Finkel et al.: Effects of narcissism on perceptions of partner’s game playing behavior

Answer 19

Found that narcissism was associated with perceiving one’s partner as engaging in game playing behavior,
which in turn was related to lower relationship satisfaction

Question 20

Finkel et al.: Effects of narcissism on perceptions of past relationships.

Answer 20

Found that individuals with higher levels of narcissism reported more game playing behavior in their past relationships, and this was related to lower relationship satisfaction

Question 21

Love styles associated with Narcissism

Answer 21

Game-playing love style

Question 22

Twenge et al.: Narcissism, Social Rejection and Aggression

Answer 22

Results from the four studies provided clear evidence that narcissism is positively related to angry and aggressive responses following social rejection

Question 23

Two subtypes of NPD

Answer 23

1. Grandiose narcissism (arrogant, aggressive)
2. Vulnerable narcissism (shame-prone, hypersensitive)

Question 24

Psychodynamic view of NPD

Answer 24

This disorder is considered a maladaptive coping strategy for managing emotions and self-perception, stemming from inadequate childhood development

Question 25

Cognitive theories of NPD

Answer 25

Suggests that overvaluation during childhood or developing unrealistic positive self-assumptions leads to this disorder.
Narcissistic personality disorder often ties back to a history of childhood trauma, including abuse, neglect, or having troubled parents.

Question 26

Do’s in treatment of Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Weinberg et al.

Answer 26

1. Take a practical, goal-, and change-oriented approach in treatment
2. Offer functional alternatives to the self-defeating solutions adopted by NPD patients
3. Exercise exceptional patience and sensitivity to the patients’ susceptibility to feeling humiliated, blamed, shamed, entrapped, and defeated
4. Help the patient identify concrete, realistic, and measurable treatment goals that the patient identifies as his or her own
5. Work with the patient to identify treatment goals meaningfully related to what the patient values or wants to change
6. Promote a sense of agency in the patient
7. Anticipate difficulty in developing and maintaining the treatment alliance

Question 27

Don’ts in treatment of patients with Narcissitic Personality Disorder

Weinberg et al.

Answer 27

1. Engage in a power struggle with the patient
2. Overindulge the grandiosity of the patient
3. Directly challenge the grandiosity of the patient
4. Ignore treatment-interfering behaviors
5. Enact countertransference feelings
6. Rely on overly empathic interventions
7. Ignore the mutative role of life events