Chapter 15 - Personality Disorders

Personality disorder

patterns of traits that are socially undesirable and taken to extremes

• creates severe problems

five general characteristics of a personality disorder

• unusual

• must cause significant problems

• affect social relations

• stable over time

• the person who has it may not see it as one

syntonic

responsive to and in harmony with their environment

ego-syntonic

symptoms are seen as normal by the person

ego-dystonic

symptoms are seen as a problem by the person

Cluster A personality disorders

odd and eccentric patterns of thinking

• schizotypal

• schizoid

• paranoid

Cluster B personality disorders

impulsive and erratic patterns of behavior

• histrionic

• narcissistic

• antisocial

• borderline

cluster C personality disorders

anxious and avoidant emotional styles

• dependent

• avoidant

• obsessive-compulsive

Schizotypal PD

An extreme pattern of odd beliefs and behaviors and difficulties relating to others

• magical thinking, strange ideas, unconventional behavior, superstitious

Narcissistic PD

an extreme pattern of arrogant, exploitative, entitled, and damaging behavior combined with a notable lack of empathy

• superiority, needs recognition, difficult to treat

Antisocial PD

an extreme pattern of deceitful, manipulative, and sometimes dangerous behavior

• crimes, impulsive/risky, irritable and angry

Borderline PD

an extreme and sometimes dangerous pattern of emotional and behavioral instability

• most severe, suicidality, identity disturbance, bad interpersonal relations

Core components of DBT

• individual therapy

• skills training groups

• phone coaching

• therapist consultation team

4 DBT skill modules

• mindfulness

• distress tolerance

• emotion regulation

• interpersonal effectiveness

PLEASE skill

Pl → Physical illness treatment

E → eating balance

A → avoid mood-altering substances

S → good sleep

E → exercise