Personality Disorders

Vocabulary flashcards for personality disorders and related concepts.

Personality

The characteristic ways a person behaves and thinks.

Personality Disorder

Enduring maladaptive patterns for relating (thinking, feeling, and behaving) to the environment and self, exhibited in a range of contexts that causes significant functional impairment or distress.

Dimensional Model

Extreme versions of otherwise normal personality variations; personality exists on a continuum.

Categorical Model

Ways of relating that is different from psychologically healthy behavior; personality disorders viewed as distinct categories.

Paranoid Personality Disorder

A pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of others such that their motives are interpreted as malevolent.

Schizoid Personality Disorder

A pervasive pattern of detachment from social relationships and a restricted range of expression of emotions in interpersonal settings.

Schizotypal Personality Disorder

A pervasive pattern of social and interpersonal deficits marked by acute discomfort with reduced capacity for close relationships, as well as by cognitive or perceptual distortions and eccentricities of behavior.

Antisocial Personality Disorder

A pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others.

Borderline Personality Disorder

A pervasive pattern of instability of interpersonal relationships, self-image, affects, and control over impulses.

Histrionic Personality Disorder

A pervasive pattern of excessive emotion and attention-seeking.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy.

Avoidant Personality Disorder

A pervasive pattern of social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, and hypersensitivity to negative evaluation.

Dependent Personality Disorder

A pervasive and excessive need to be taken care of, which leads to submissive and clinging behavior and fears of separation.

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder

A pervasive pattern of preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and mental and interpersonal control, at the expense of flexibility, openness, and efficiency.

Paranoid Personality Disorder Clinical Description

Pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of others, such that their motives are interpreted as malevolent

Schizoid Personality Disorder Clinical Description

Pervasive pattern of detachment from social relationships and a restricted range of emotional expression in interpersonal settings

Schizotypal Personality Disorder Clinical Description

Pervasive pattern of social and interpersonal deficits, cognitive distortions and eccentric behaviour

Antisocial Personality Disorder Clinical Description

Pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others

Borderline Personality Disorder Clinical Description

Pervasive pattern of unstable relationships, self-image and affects and marked impulsivity

Generalised biological vulnerability

Genetic vulnerability to emotional reactivity

Generalised psychological vulnerability

View the world as threatening leading to strong reactions to threats

Specific psychological vulnerability

Early trauma or abuse advance sensitivity to threats