Personality Disorders

Definition: an enduring pattern of experiences that deviates markedly from the expectations of the individuals culture. It is manifested in at least 2 of cognition, affectivity, impulse control, interpersonal function

  • Inflexible, experienced in a range of social situations

  • Causes significant distress and limitations in functioning

  • Stable and long duration, early onset

  • Not explained by another mental disorder or substance abuse or another medical condition

Cluster A: display odd/eccentric behavior, may be psychotic, social withdrawl, may have unusual beliefs

Cluster B: dramatic, emotional, erratic behavior, struggle with impulse control, struggle with relationships

Cluster C: anxious or fearful behaviour, fears of rejection or abandonment, strong need for control

How do personality disorders develop

  • Interplay between genes, temperament (personality as a baby), environment - how environment reacts towards you

  • Links between abuse/neglect and the development of different types of personality disorders. Different combinations of different abuse and neglect can lead to different types of PDs

Schemas of personality disorders

Examples

  • Abandonment → rooted in unmet need of secure attachments during childhood

  • Entitelement/grandiosity: sense of superiority → rooted in the unmet need of realistic limits and self control

How do they develop

  • We have core physiological and psychological needs

  • Core psychological needs include having secure attachments to others, autonomy, sense of identity, sense of competence, self-control and limits, freedom to express needs and emotions, spontaneity and play

  • If our upbringing does not meet these needs or meets them too extremely (eg controlling behaviour, not giving children autonomy, not forming secure attachments) the formation of maladaptive schemas can occur → potentially leading to personality disorders

Neuroscientific Approach

BPD: from meta-analyses it was found that people with BPD have reduced volumes of matter in the amygdala and hippocampus

  • Raises questions: is this a cause of a PD or a consequence of the PD?