Personality Disorders: Classification, Causal Factors, and Treatment Approaches, Study notes of Abnormal Psychology

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Personality

Disorders

Introduction

● (^) Personality is the set of unique characteristics/ traits and behaviours that defines an individual. ● (^) Today there is reasonably broad agreement among personality researchers that about five basic personality trait dimensions can be used to characterize normal personality. ● (^) This five-factor model of personality traits includes the following five trait dimensions: neuroticism, extraversion/ introversion, openness to experience, agreeableness/antagonism, and conscientiousness.

Personality disorders’

Classification

Cluster A Cluster B^ Cluster C

Includes paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal personality disorders. Characterized by odd and eccentric behaviour, unusual behaviour, ranging from distrust and suspiciousness to Includes histrionic, narcissistic, antisocial, and borderline personality disorders. Individuals with these disorders share a tendency to be dramatic, emotional, and erratic. Includes avoidant, dependent, and obsessive compulsive personality disorders. In contrast to the other two clusters, people with these disorders often show anxiety and fearfulness

Cluster A Disorders

● PARANOID PERSONALITY DISORDER:

● (^) Pervasive suspiciousness and distrust of others, leading to numerous interpersonal difficulties. ● (^) They tend to see themselves as blameless and are likely to blame others for their own mistakes and failures. ● (^) Chronically tense ● (^) “On guard,” constantly expecting trickery ● (^) Looking for clues to validate their expectations while disregarding all evidence to the contrary.

Cluster A Disorders

● (^) Causal Factors: ● (^) Possibility of partial genetic issues through genetically passed on low levels of agreeableness (that is high antagonism) neuroticism (anger and hostility). ● (^) Psychosocial factors: parental neglect, abuse, exposure to violent adults.

Cluster A Disorders

● SCHIZOID PERSONALITY DISORDER:

● (^) Usually unable to form social relationships and usually lack much interest in doing so. ● (^) Consequently, they tend not to have good friends, with the possible exception of a close relative. ● (^) Unable to express their feelings and are seen by others as cold and distant. ● (^) Lack social skills and can be labelled as loners or introverts with solitary interests and occupations, although not all loners or introverts have schizoid personality disorder. ● (^) People with this disorder tend not to take pleasure in many activities, including sexual activity, and rarely marry.

Cluster A Disorders

● (^) Causal Factors: ● (^) Early theorists considered a schizoid personality to be a likely precursor to the development of schizophrenia, but this viewpoint has been challenged, and any genetic link that may exist is very modest. ● (^) Moderate heritability ● (^) Severe impairment in underlying affiliation system ● (^) Cognitive theorists propose that individuals with schizoid personality disorder exhibit cool and aloof behavior because of maladaptive underlying schemas that lead them to view themselves as self-sufficient loners and to view others as intrusive. (issues with core

Cluster A Disorders

● SCHIZOTYPAL PERSONALITY DISORDER:

● (^) excessively introverted and have pervasive social and interpersonal deficits (like those that occur in schizoid personality disorder) ● (^) But in addition they have cognitive and perceptual distortions, as well as oddities and eccentricities in their communication and behavior ● (^) Mostly in contact with reality, they may experience psychotic symptoms when in intense stress. ● (^) They often believe that they have magical powers and may engage in magical rituals.

Cluster A Disorders

● (^) Show various other cognitive impairments and have a difficulty in sustaining attention and in working memory. ● (^) Deficits in their ability to inhibit attention to a second stimulus that rapidly follows presentation of a first stimulus which can be due to high levels of distractibility and difficulty in staying focused. ● (^) Language abnormalities due to underlying auditory abnormalities. ● (^) A suspected genetic relationship to schizophrenia. ● (^) Nevertheless, it has also been proposed that there is a second subtype of schizotypal personality disorder that is not genetically linked to schizophrenia.

Cluster A Disorders

● (^) This subtype is characterized by cognitive and perceptual deficits and is instead linked to a history of childhood abuse and early trauma. ● (^) Stressful life events can lead to SPD in teens.

Cluster B Disorders

● (^) Attempt to control their partners through seductive behavior and emotional manipulation, but they also show a good deal of dependence ● (^) Their speech is often vague and impressionistic, and they are usually considered self- centered, vain, and excessively concerned about the approval of others. ● (^) Other can see them as overly reactive, shallow, and insincere. ● (^) More commonly found in women than in men due to the controversial idea that many characteristics found in HPD are also commonly found in women such as such as over dramatization, vanity, seductiveness, and over concern with physical appearance.

Cluster B Disorders

● (^) However, other personality traits prominent in histrionic personality disorder are actually more common in men than in women (e.g., high excitement seeking and low self-consciousness). ● (^) Causal Factors: ● (^) No clear causal factors found. ● (^) Histrionic personality disorder is highly comorbid with borderline, antisocial, narcissistic, and dependent personality disorder diagnoses. ● (^) Some evidence of genetic links have been found with Antisocial Personality Disorder, with the same genetic factors causing HPD in women and ASPD in men.

Cluster B Disorders

● (^) Maladaptive schemas revolving around the need for attention to validate self worth may also be a causal factor.

Cluster B Disorders

● NARCISSISTIC PERSONALITY DISORDER:

● (^) Exaggerated sense of self-importance, a preoccupation with being admired, and a lack of empathy for the feelings of others. ● (^) Two subtypes of narcissism: grandiose and vulnerable narcissism. ● (^) Grandiose narcissism: Traits related to grandiosity, aggression, and dominance. ● (^) A strong tendency to overestimate their abilities and accomplishments while underestimating the abilities and accomplishments of others. ● (^) Their sense of entitlement is frequently a source of astonishment to others, although they themselves seem to regard their lavish expectations as merely what they deserve.