T12: Personality Disorders

• Personality disorder is a persistent pattern of emotions, cognitions, and behavior that results in enduring emotional distress for the person affected and/or for others and may cause difficulties with work and relationships.
• Personality Disorder Clusters:

  • Cluster A is called the odd or eccentric cluster; it includes paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal personality disorders.
  • Cluster B is the dramatic, emotional, or erratic cluster; it consists of antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic personality disorders.
  • Cluster C is the anxious or fearful cluster; it includes avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive disorders.
• Paranoid Personality Disorder is part of cluster A of personality disorders in which there is a pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of others such that their motives are interpreted as malevolent.
• Schizoid Personality Disorder is part of cluster A of personality disorders in which there is a pervasive pattern of detachment from social relationships and a restricted range of expression of emotion in interpersonal settings.
• Schizotypal Personality Disorder is part of cluster A of personality disorder in which there is a pervasive pattern of social and interpersonal deficits marked by acute discomfort with reduced capacity for close relationships, as well as cognitive or perceptual distractions and eccentricities of behavior.
• Antisocial Personality Disorder is part of cluster B of personality disorder in which there is a pervasive pattern of disregard and violation of the rights of others.
• Borderline Personality Disorder is part of cluster B of personality disorder in which there is a pervasive pattern of instability of interpersonal relationships, self-image, effects, and control over impulses.
• Histrionic Personality Disorder is part of cluster B of personality disorders in which there is a pervasive pattern of excessive emotion and attention-seeking behavior.
• Narcissistic Personality Disorder is part of cluster B personality disorder in which there is a pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy.
• Avoidant Personality Disorder is part of cluster C personality disorder in which there is a pervasive pattern of social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, and hypersensitivity to negative evaluation.
• Dependent Personality Disorder is part of cluster C personality disorder in which there is a pervasive and excessive need to be taken care of, which leads to submissive and clinging behavior and fears of separation.
• Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder is part of cluster C personality disorder in which there is a pervasive pattern of preoccupation with orderliness, or perfectionism, and mental interpersonal control, at the expense of flexibility, openness, and efficiency.
• Conduct Disorder is a condition in which children engages in behavior that violate society's norms.