Personality Disorders

Question 1

maladaptive symptoms

Answer 1

• variations with domains of traits, emotions, cognitions, motives, self-concept
• variations on common motives like power and intimacy
• cognitive processes
• levels in experienced emotion
• distortion of self-concept

Question 2

disorder

Answer 2

• pattern of B/experience that is distressing and painful to the person
• leads to impairment in important life domains
• associated with increased risk for further suffering, loss of function, death or confinement

Question 3

abnormal

Answer 3

• statistical
• social
• psychological
• behavioural

Question 4

pattern of behaviour

Answer 4

• is rigid and displayed across a variety of situation
• distress in key areas of life such as work and relationships
• long history in a person’s life (often back to childhood/adolescence)
• must not be attributable to drug abuse, medication or other medical condition
• all PDs involve impaired social relations

Question 5

T or F: context affects diagnoses

Answer 5

true
- age
- culture
- gender

Question 6

clusters

Answer 6

A
- paranoid
- schizotypical
- schizoid
B
- borderline
- anti-social
- histrionic
- narcissistic
C
- avoidant
- dependent
- obsessive-compulsive

Question 7

cluster A: eccentric, odd

Answer 7

make people:
- ill at ease
- appear or act in highly abnormal ways
- mostly focused on interactions with others
exhibit similar traits to schizophrenia, BUT subclinical

Question 8

schizoid PD

Answer 8

characteristics
1. appears inept or socially clumsy
2. detached from normal social relationships
3. indifferent in social relations
4. obtains little pleasure out of life
5. passive in the face of unpleasant events
self-concept
- self as loner, without ambition

Question 9

schizotypal PD

Answer 9

characteristics
1. eccentric B and appearance
2. eccentric thinking
3. ideas of reference
4. odd beliefs or magical thinking
5. odd speech
6. similar interpersonal difficulties of schizoid personality but more anxious
7. suspiciousness, paranoid ideation
self-concept
- self as different from others

Question 10

paranoid PD

Answer 10

characteristics
1. argumentative and hostile
2. distrustful of others
3. harbours resentment towards others
4. misinterprets social events as threatening
5. prone to pathological jealousy
self-concept
- as a victim

Question 11

cluster B: erratic, unstable

Answer 11

persons appear erractic, emotional and have difficulties getting along with others

Question 12

anti-social PD

Answer 12

characteristics
1. conduct disorder before 15y
- truancy, running away, theft, arson
2. pattern of anti-social B continues in adulthood
- break laws
- irresponsible and antisocial B
- physically aggressive
- reckless, impulsive
- work only inconsistently
self concept
- self as unfettered by rules

Question 13

psychopathy

Answer 13

key characteristic: poverty of positive and negative emotions
1. lack of anxiety
2. lack of empathy
3. lack of remorse
4. manipulates others for personal gain
5. no sense of shame
6. BIS? (behavioral inhibition system)

Question 14

borderline PD

Answer 14

characteristics
1. fears of abandonment
2. impairments in emotional perception making them prone to self harm
3. instability of relationships, emotions, self-image
4. strong emotions
5. splitting
6. trouble regulating emotion
- Linehan’s diathesis-stress theory of BPD
self-concept
- self as vague, diffuse, changing, unstable with no strong feeling of identity

Question 15

diagram on BPD

Answer 15

refer to notebook

Question 16

histrionic PD

Answer 16

characteristics
1. excessive attention seeking
2. excessive and strong emotions
3. opinions/discussions are shallow
4. suggestible
5. strong need for attention
6. sexually provocative
self-concept
- self as desirable and charming

Question 17

narcissistic PD

Answer 17

characteristics
1. envious of others
2. feelings of superiority
3. lack of insight into others’ feelings and needs
4. need to be admired
5. sense of entitlement
6. strong sense of self-importance
7. self-esteem appears strong but is fragile (narcissistic paradox)
self-concept
- self as unique, admirable, special

Question 18

cluster C: anxious

Answer 18

• geared towards avoiding anxiety
• neurotic paradox: one pattern of B solves a problem but creates another

Question 19

avoidant PD

Answer 19

characteristics
1. feelings of inadequacy
2. sensitive to criticisms
3. restricts activities to avoid embarrassments
4. low self esteem
self-concept
- self as inadequate

Question 20

dependent PD

Answer 20

characteristics
1. excessive need to be takem care of
2. does not work well independently
3. may tolerate abuse from others to obtain support
4. rarely takes initiative, rarely disagrees with others
5. seeks reassurance from others
6. submissive
self-concept
- self as needy, lacking self direction

Question 21

OCPD

Answer 21

characteristics
1. preoccupied with order
2. strives for perfection
- often dissatisfied
3. devoted to work, seeks little leisure time or friendship
4. rigid, inflexible, stubborn
self-concept
- self as rigid, with high standards and expectations

Question 22

dimensional models

Answer 22

categorical approach
- do the trait fit the criteria YES vs NO
dimensional
- spectrum approach
- influence of multiple factors
1. antagonism
2. detachment
3. disinhibition
4. negative affect
5. psychoticism