9

WEEK 9 FLASHCARDS: Cluster C Personality Disorders + Psychosis & Schizophrenia Spectrum

Cluster Overview

Q1: What disorders are in Cluster C and what characterizes them?
A: Cluster C includes Avoidant, Dependent, and Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorders (OCPD). These are characterized by anxious and fearful behaviors.

Q2: What traits are commonly shared among Cluster C disorders?
A: Excessive worry, need for control or reassurance, hypersensitivity to negative feedback, and social anxiety.

Avoidant Personality Disorder

Q3: What are the key features of Avoidant PD?
A: Social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, hypersensitivity to negative evaluation

Q4: How is Avoidant PD different from Social Anxiety Disorder?
A: Avoidant PD is more pervasive and rooted in self-concept ("I'm unworthy") while Social Anxiety is more situational.

Q5: Risk factors for Avoidant PD?
A: Childhood rejection, abuse, behavioral inhibition (temperament)

Q6: Treatment for Avoidant PD?
A: CBT, social skills training, SSRIs, exposure therapy

Q7: Example of Avoidant PD?
A: A person who avoids job promotions or social events despite wanting connection due to fear of embarrassment

Dependent Personality Disorder

Q8: What are the key features of Dependent PD?
A: Excessive need to be taken care of, submissiveness, fear of separation, difficulty making decisions independently

Q9: How is Dependent PD different from Avoidant PD?
A: Avoidant avoids relationships out of fear of rejection; Dependent clings to relationships to avoid being alone

Q10: Risk factors?
A: Childhood illness, overprotective parenting, sociotropy (need for approval)

Q11: Treatment?
A: Assertiveness training, developing decision-making skills, structured CBT

Q12: Example?
A: A person who needs others to take responsibility for most areas of their life and stays in unhealthy relationships

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)

Q13: Key features of OCPD?
A: Preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and control at the expense of flexibility

Q14: Difference between OCPD and OCD?
A: OCPD is ego-syntonic (person sees their traits as reasonable); OCD involves distressing obsessions/compulsions

Q15: Risk factors?
A: Harsh parenting, overcontrol in childhood, possible genetic traits for perfectionism

Q16: Treatment for OCPD?
A: Addressing fear of failure, CBT, sometimes SSRIs

Q17: Example?
A: A person who spends hours organizing tasks, refuses help, and is overly critical of mistakes

Self-Compassion (Neff's Model)

Q18: What are the three components of self-compassion?
A:

  1. Self-kindness vs. self-judgment

  2. Common humanity vs. isolation

  3. Mindfulness vs. over-identification

Q19: How can self-compassion help in Cluster C disorders?
A: Reduces shame, helps manage fear of judgment, improves emotion regulation

Psychosis Overview

Q20: What defines psychosis?
A: A loss of contact with reality, often involving hallucinations, delusions, or disorganized thinking

Q21: What are the three symptom categories of psychosis?
A:

  • Positive symptoms: hallucinations, delusions

  • Negative symptoms: flat affect, alogia, anhedonia, avolition

  • Disorganized symptoms: confused speech, erratic behavior

Schizophrenia

Q22: What are the diagnostic criteria for Schizophrenia?
A:

  • 2+ symptoms for at least 1 month (delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, catatonia, negative symptoms)

  • Continuous disturbance for 6+ months

  • Functional decline

Q23: Risk factors for Schizophrenia?
A: Genetics, dopamine dysregulation, adolescent cannabis use, low SES, urban upbringing

Q24: Prognosis types?
A:

  • 50%: One episode then recovery

  • 35%: Multiple episodes with some recovery

  • 22%: Chronic symptoms

Q25: Treatment for Schizophrenia?
A: Antipsychotics, CBT for psychosis, family therapy, early intervention

Q26: Example?
A: A person hears voices commenting on their actions and becomes socially withdrawn over time

Related Disorders

Q27: What is Schizoaffective Disorder?
A: A mix of mood disorder and schizophrenia symptoms with at least 2 weeks of psychosis without mood symptoms

Q28: What is Delusional Disorder?
A: 1+ month of non-bizarre delusions with otherwise intact functioning (e.g., jealousy, persecution)

Q29: What is Brief Psychotic Disorder?
A: Psychotic symptoms lasting 1 day to <1 month, often after major stressor

Q30: What is Schizophreniform Disorder?
A: Like schizophrenia but duration is 1–6 months