week 10

Question 1

the big five of personality disorders

Answer 1

• detachment (introversion-extraversion)
• unconventionality (opennness)
• antagonism (agreeableness)
• disinhibition (conscientiousness)
• psychoticism (neurotism)

Question 2

envionmental and genetic influences of personality disorders

Answer 2

• emotional/sexual abuse
• childhood maltreatment
• genetic heritability estimates - suggests both environmental and generic factors are involved

Question 3

comorbidity (commonness with other disorders) of personality disorder

Answer 3

those with personality disorder also meet criteria for:

• anxiety
• Mood disorder
• substance abuse
• other personality disorders

Question 4

three clusters of personality disorders

Answer 4

Cluster A
- odd or eccentric disorders
Cluster B
- Dramatic, emotional or erratic disorders
Cluster C
- anxious or fearful disorders

Question 5

Eccentric personality disorder (cluster A)

Answer 5

• paranoid personality disorder:
• believing that others are exploiting or deceiving the person
• having a preoccupation with unjustified doubts about the trustworthiness of a friend
• reluctant to confide in others
• bearing grudges
• being others as attacking the persons reputation
• not trusting ones sexual partner as being faithful
• seeing simple statements as having hidden meanings
  Schizoid personality disorder:
• pervasive pattern of detachment
• not desiring any social relationships
• mainly engaging in solitary activities
• showing little interest in sexual activities with others
• finding little pleasure in any activity
• having no close friends
• showing emotional coldness or detachment
• showing indifference to both praise and criticism
  Schizotypal personality disorder:
• odd behaviour and cognitive distortions
• makes connections between ideas and events that are not related
• holds odd beliefs or engages in magical thinking (Eg telepathy)
• experiences unusual perceptual experience
• engage in odd thinking and speech
• is suspicious
• shows inappropriate affection
• appears odd to others
• doesn’t have any close friends

Question 6

emotional personality disorders (cluster B)

Answer 6

Antisocial personify disorder:
- detachment and moral insanity
- psychopathy
- lack of empathy
- impulsivity
- emotional detachment
- repeated participation in illegal acts
- no experience of regret of empathy
- associated with violence
Conduct disorder:
- cruelty to animals
- attacking or harming adults or other children
- theft
- setting fires or destroying property
Borderline personality disorder:
- instability in mood, relationships or self
- self harm prevalent (75% of cases)
- splitting - things are either so good or so bad
- fearful preoccupation - intense need for attention and fear of abandonment
- pattern of unstable intense interpersonal relationships
- unstable self image
- impulsivity in areas such as sex, substance abuse, driving, binge eating
- recurrent suicidal behaviours
- chronic feelings of emptiness
Histrionic personality disorder:
- extreme attention seeking behaviour
- constant want to be centre of attention
- excessive dramatic and male up stories to draw attention to themselves
- discomfort when not centre of attention
- inappropriate sexually seductive behaviour
- consistent use of physical appearance to draw attention
- considering relationships more intimate than they are
Narcissistic personality disorder:
- Constant need for admiration
- sense of privilege and entitlement
- ignoring needs of others
- loss close contact with others
- arrogance
- taking advantage of others
- seing one’s self as special

Question 7

Anxious personality disorders (Cluster C)

Answer 7

Avoidant personality disorder:
- pervasive pattern of social inhibition
- fear of criticism
- unwillingness to be involved with others
- restraint within intimate relationship
- view of ones self as socially inept, unappealing or inferior
- reluctance to take personal risk/engage
Dependent personality disorder:
- pervasive pattern of being submissive
- difficulties making everyday decisions
- relies on reassurance from others
- difficulty beginning projects
- uncomfortable when alone
- difficulty disagreeing with other person
Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder:
- preoccupation with orderliness
- perfectionism and wanting control over environment
- different to OCD
- reactance to delegat tasks
- rigidity and stubbornness
- hoarding of money
- inflexibility concerning morals and values
- preoccupation with work to exclusion of fun and friendships

Question 8

treatment of personality disorders

Answer 8

• medication used only as adjunct - not as direct treatment

- important to help client feel safe and build trust