personality disorders abnormal psych

Personality Disorders Overview

  • Definition of Personality

    • Enduring patterns of experiencing, perceiving, thinking about oneself and the environment.

    • Personality is unique, even with overlapping qualities and generally stable over time.

  • Personality Traits

    • Traits endure over time and often described using adjectives (e.g., extroverted, neurotic).

  • Big Five Personality Traits:

    • Openness: Willingness to try new experiences vs. closed off to new experiences.

    • Conscientiousness: Dependability vs. undependable.

    • Extroversion: Enjoyment of social interactions vs. introversion.

    • Agreeableness: Being good-hearted vs. antagonism.

    • Neuroticism: Symptoms of negative emotionality vs. emotional stability.

Personality Disorders

  • Cultural Context:

    • Personality disorders significantly deviate from cultural expectations.

    • Consideration of cultural norms is crucial in diagnosis.

Personality Disorder Clusters

  • Cluster A: Odd and Eccentric Disorders

    • Characterized by odd behaviors, flat affect, and eccentric thoughts.

    • Symptoms include inappropriate emotional responses, paranoid thoughts, and atypical speech patterns.

    • Distinction from schizophrenia: individuals maintain a grasp on reality.

    • Types of disorders within Cluster A:

    • Paranoid Personality Disorder:

      • Patterns of distrust and suspicion regarding others' motives.

      • Example: A husband believes his happy wife's cheerfulness indicates infidelity.

      • Treatment challenges due to distrust affecting therapeutic engagement.

    • Schizoid Personality Disorder:

      • Detachment from social relationships and restricted emotional expression (i.e., anhedonia).

      • Individuals are cold, aloof, and often lack positive emotions.

      • Treatment methods: social skills training, emotional regulation strategies, group therapy.

    • Schizotypal Personality Disorder:

      • Acute discomfort in close relationships, cognitive and perceptual distortions (delusions of reference and magical thinking).

      • More prevalent in males; shows restricted affect and paranoid thoughts.

      • Genetic links to schizophrenia; treatments include antidepressants and atypical antipsychotics.

Cluster B: Dramatic and Emotional Disorders

  • Traits include manipulation, emotional volatility, and impulsivity.

  • Types of disorders within Cluster B:

    • Antisocial Personality Disorder:

    • Characterized by a disregard for others’ rights, impulsivity, and deceitfulness.

    • Individuals often appear charming yet lack remorse for harmful actions.

    • Diagnosis typically occurs after age 18 due to specific criteria not applicable in minors.

    • Implicated factors include genetics, impulsivity linked to serotonin/dopamine pathways, and often lower socioeconomic background.

    • Borderline Personality Disorder:

    • Marked by unstable relationships, emotional dysregulation, and self-destructive behaviors.

    • More prevalent in females; symptoms include abandonment fears and chronic feelings of emptiness.

    • Treatment includes dialectical behavior therapy, psychodynamic therapy, and potentially mood stabilizers.

    • Histrionic Personality Disorder:

    • Individuals seek approval and draw attention through provocative behavior and shallow emotions.

    • More common in females; prone to suggestibility and drawing attention.

    • Treatment options are cognitive therapy and psychodynamic therapy focusing on repressed emotions.

    • Narcissistic Personality Disorder:

    • Grandiose self-importance, entitlement, and lack of empathy.

    • Often develops from environmental factors such as over-pampering or lack of parental approval during childhood.

    • Treatment includes cognitive therapy focused on lowering inflated self-esteem.

Cluster C: Anxious and Fearful Disorders

  • Characterized by excessive concern about criticism and relationships.

  • Types of disorders within Cluster C:

    • Avoidant Personality Disorder:

    • Linked to feelings of inferiority and fear of rejection; relates to social phobias.

    • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and gradual exposure are effective treatment methods.

    • Dependent Personality Disorder:

    • Individuals display submissiveness and clinging behaviors, requiring excessive care from others.

    • Linked to separation anxiety; treatment utilizes Freud's psychodynamic techniques and CBT.

    • Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD):

    • Not to be confused with OCD; characterized by extreme perfectionism and control.

    • Individuals have rigid emotional constriction and workaholic tendencies.

    • Treatment is effective with cognitive-behavioral therapy focusing on changing irrational thoughts.

Conclusion

  • Emphasis on therapy and treatment availability for each cluster; understanding personality disorders facilitates better diagnosis and intervention strategies.

  • Recognition of treatment challenges due to the nature of each disorder.

  • Encourage questions and feedback on learning processes throughout the course material.