personality and mental disorder links

Question 1

links of personality and mental disorder

Answer 1

• Four models have been suggested (e.g., Krueger & Tackett, 2003; Tackett, 2006) *
• Scar-complication model – mental disorders may lead to changes in premorbid personality
• Vulnerability-risk model – specific personality traits put an individual at risk of developing a particular mental disorder
• Pathoplasty model – personality traits modify the presentation, course, and severity of mental disorders
• Spectrum model – personality and mental disorders are part of the same continuum

Question 2

personality as a risk factor

Answer 2

• Personality as risk/protective factor (Meta analysis; Malouff et al., 2005) – similar pattern of associations across many disorders (e.g., substance use, schizophrenia, anxiety/eating disorders): high Neuroticism, low Conscientiousness, low Agreeableness, and low Extraversion
• – child externalising disorders: low Neuroticism, low Agreeableness, high Extraversion
• – mood disorders: lower Extraversion level compared to the other disorders
• Personality predicts support seeking – high Neuroticism predicts depression treatment use (Hengartner et al., 2016)

Question 3

personality for illness behaviour/ recovery

Answer 3

• • Personality relevant for illness behaviour/recovery
• – high neuroticism and low conscientiousness are associated with noncompliance (Umaki et al., 2012)
• – if the personality disorder is ego-syntonic (e.g. Antisocial and Narcissistic) it may be hard to engage the patient in treatment
• may difficulty maintaining relationship with therapist
• may rarely present for treatment (e.g. Antisocial PD)