Questions and Answers
What is Avoidant Personality Disorder?
Extreme social inhibition and introversion, leading to lifelong patterns of limited social relationships and reluctance to enter into social interactions.
Which of the following features are prevalent in Avoidant Personality Disorder? (Select all that apply)
What is the primary characteristic of Dependent Personality Disorder?
Extreme need to be taken care of, leading to clinging and submissive behavior.
Dependent Personality Disorder is more common in ______ than in ______.
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Is perfectionism a characteristic of Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder?
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Which treatments have shown promising results for Cluster C disorders? (Select all that apply)
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What is the relationship between genetic factors and Dependent Personality Disorder?
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What are the two main dimensions of psychopathy identified by Robert Hare? (Select all that apply)
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What cognitive-behavioral approaches are suggested for treating psychopathy?
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What are general features of personality disorders?
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Cluster A personality disorders include __________.
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What are the three clusters of personality disorders in DSM-5?
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What type of behaviors do people with personality disorders often engage in?
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What is the prevalence of Cluster C personality disorders?
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Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of Histrionic Personality Disorder?
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What is a common risk factor for Borderline Personality Disorder?
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All personality disorders are equally prevalent in the general population.
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The two subtypes of Narcissistic Personality Disorder are __________ and __________.
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What factor significantly contributes to the development of Antisocial Personality Disorder?
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What serves as a central characteristic of Borderline Personality Disorder?
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Study Notes
Clinical Features of Personality Disorders
- Characterized by chronic interpersonal difficulties and identity issues.
- Diagnosed when behavior patterns are pervasive, inflexible, and stable.
- Manifested in at least two areas: cognition, affectivity, interpersonal functioning, or impulse control.
- Results in significant distress or functional impairment.
Impact on Others
- Individuals with personality disorders can create difficulties in the lives of others.
- Development of personality disorders is gradual and rooted in inflexible behavior patterns.
DSM-5 Personality Disorder Clusters
- Cluster A: Paranoid, Schizoid, Schizotypal.
- Cluster B: Histrionic, Narcissistic, Antisocial, Borderline.
- Cluster C: Avoidant, Dependent, Obsessive-Compulsive.
Cluster C: Prevalence
- Approximately 10% of individuals may have a diagnosable personality disorder.
- Cluster C disorders are the most prevalent, at about 7%.
Challenges in Research
- Difficulty in diagnosing due to vague criteria based on inferred traits.
- Low diagnostic reliability and validity despite structured interviews.
- Integration of various approaches to develop a unified classification.
Causes of Personality Disorders
- Limited knowledge on causation; high comorbidity complicates understanding.
- Biological predisposition begins with early temperament influences.
- Psychosocial factors include childhood neglect, attachment issues, and adverse parenting.
Paranoid Personality Disorder
- Traits include suspicion, distrust, and a tendency to hold grudges.
- Prevalence ranges from 1-2%, affecting men and women equally.
- Potential genetic links and psychological factors like parental neglect.
Schizoid Personality Disorder
- Individuals often display a lack of interest in social relationships and emotions.
- Prevalence is just over 1%, with a higher occurrence in males.
- Highly heritable traits noted, with connections to autism spectrum disorders.
Schizotypal Personality Disorder
- Characterized by extreme introversion and cognitive distortions.
- Prevalence around 1%, more common in males.
- Genetic links with schizophrenia; increases risk for schizophrenia spectrum disorders in adolescence.
Histrionic Personality Disorder
- Involves attention-seeking behaviors and theatricality.
- Prevalence is slightly over 1%, with a potential genetic connection to antisocial personality traits.
- Common comorbidity with several personality disorders.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
- Defined by an exaggerated sense of self-importance and lack of empathy.
- Exists in two subtypes: grandiose and vulnerable.
- Slightly under 1% prevalence, more common in males; associated with differing childhood experiences.
Antisocial Personality Disorder
- Marked by a disregard for the rights of others and sociopathic behavior.
- Prevalence of 2-3%, predominantly in males.
- Moderate heritability; influenced by environmental factors including family dynamics.
Borderline Personality Disorder
- Characterized by impulsivity, unstable relationships, and emotional instability.
- Prevalence estimated at 1-2%; high rates of self-harm and suicide attempts.
- Significant comorbidity with mood and anxiety disorders.
- Environmental factors, including childhood maltreatment, play a substantial role in risk.
Multidimensional Diathesis-Stress Theory of BPD
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Explores interactions between genetic vulnerabilities, affective instability, trauma, and environmental factors, culminating in emotional dysregulation and chaotic relationships.### Cluster C Personality Disorders
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Avoidant Personality Disorder characterized by extreme social inhibition, introversion, and hypersensitivity, leading to limited social relationships and fear of rejection.
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Individuals experience feelings of ineptness and social inadequacy; these traits are stable over time.
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Genetic influences suggest an innate "inhibited" temperament can lead to this disorder, especially in children facing emotional abuse or rejection.
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Dependent Personality Disorder involves an extreme need for care resulting in clinging behavior and acute fear of separation.
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More prevalent in women, with comorbidity observed with mood, anxiety, and eating disorders; estimated prevalence is slightly under 1%.
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Genetic factors account for a significant variance in traits associated with the disorder, including neuroticism and agreeableness.
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Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) characterized by perfectionism and excessive concern for order, often leading to dysfunctional perfectionism and rigidity.
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Point prevalence is about 2%, with slightly more cases in men than women; no true obsessions or compulsions as seen in OCD.
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Model includes high conscientiousness, assertiveness, and low compliance measured through the five-factor approach.
Treatments and Outcomes for Personality Disorders
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Treating personality disorders is challenging due to inflexible behavior patterns; goals include reducing distress and modifying dysfunctional behaviors.
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Treatment often requires adaptation of therapeutic techniques; individual therapy may inadvertently foster dependence in those with dependent traits.
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Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) focuses on decreasing self-injurious behavior in Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) while increasing coping skills.
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Transference-focused psychotherapy aims to strengthen weak egos, especially using the defense mechanism of splitting.
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New therapeutic approaches like mentalization help patients understand their own and others' emotions accurately.
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Antidepressants, particularly SSRIs, are commonly prescribed for BPD but lack comprehensive evidence for effectiveness; some short-term results seen with second-generation antipsychotics.
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Treatments for Cluster A and B disorders have shown limited progress; however, low doses of antipsychotics and SSRIs may aid in managing symptoms for schizotypal personality disorder.
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Promising results are noted for treating Cluster C disorders like avoidant and dependent personality disorders via cognitive-behavioral therapy and antidepressants.
Psychopathy
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Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) has evolved from terms like sociopathic personality; psychopathy originated in the 19th century, with Cleckley’s comprehensive description in the 1940s identifying 21 core traits.
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Estimated prevalence of psychopathy is about 1-2% in males; significantly lower in females.
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Dimensions of Psychopathy: Robert Hare's PCL-R identifies four main areas: interpersonal, affective, lifestyle, and antisocial—factors closely linked to ASPD diagnosis.
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Diagnostic criteria for psychopathy remain controversial; some researchers prefer Hare’s framework over DSM-5 ASPD.
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Successful and unsuccessful psychopaths show key biological differences, including cardiac reactivity and brain structure/function, affecting behavioral outcomes and legal trouble.
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Traits include inadequate conscience development, a lack of connection between claimed moral standards and behavior, and a tendency towards impulsive, thrill-seeking behavior.
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Psychopaths can be superficially charming and adept at manipulating others, yet lack genuine emotional connections and empathy.
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Genetic factors contribute 43-56% of psychopathy variance with additional influences from nonshared environments, revealing complex origins of the disorder.
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Psychopaths exhibit low anxiety and impaired fear conditioning, leading to deficits in understanding social norms, which are crucial for conscience development.
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Treatments for psychopathy face significant barriers; traditional strategies often fail to engage psychopaths, and may inadvertently increase reoffending rates.
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Cognitive-behavioral treatments emphasize self-control and social understanding, though their effectiveness is limited and context-dependent.
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Description
Explore the key concepts and clinical features of personality disorders with this set of PowerPoint flashcards. Learn about the chronic interpersonal difficulties and identity issues that define these disorders, along with their persistent nature and impact on societal functioning.
