, EXAM III-STUDY GUIDES
CHAMBERLAIN COLLEGE OF
NURSING NS 320 STUDY GUIDE-
EXAM 3
CHAPTER 34: PERSONALITY DISORDERS
Personality is defined as “an enduring pattern of behavior that is considered to be both
conscious and unconscious and reflects a means of adapting to a particular environment
and its cultural, ethnic and community standards.” An individual with a healthy
personality has the following characteristics:
• Sees his or her own strengths and weaknesses
• Identifies his or her own boundaries
• Recognizes interactions and thoughts that lead to strong emotions such as joy or
anger
• Interacts with others without expecting them to meet all needs
• Seeks a balance of work and play
• Accomplishes goals
• Defines and expresses spirituality
In contrast, personality disorder (PD) is defined as “an enduring pattern of inner
experience and behavior that deviates markedly from the expectation of the individual’s
culture, is pervasive and inflexible, has onset in adolescence or early adulthood, is stable
over time, and leads to distress or impairment.” A person with a PD exhibits long-term
maladaptive behavior that prevents him or her from accomplishing desired goals in
relationship and other endeavors. These behaviors are not experienced as
uncomfortable or disorganized by the individual, as are the symptoms of clients with
, anxiety, mood, or psychotic disorders. The main maladaptive behavior may affect only
one aspect of the person’s life, such as intimate relationships. Therefore, many
individuals with PDs do not seek treatment unless there is a crisis or a comorbid
diagnosis that causes distress. All of the PDs have 4 characteristics in common:
• Inflexible and maladaptive response to stress-ex. Compulsive traits may get the
job done at work but be hard on a relationship; rigid behavior serves what
function?
• Disability in working and loving-for the most part PDs have normal ego
functioning but have difficulty with interpersonal and loving relationships; all
PDs have self-esteem issues
• Ability to evoke interpersonal conflict-PDs can’t see themselves objectively;
therefore they lack the desire to alter aspects of their behavior to enrich or
maintain important relationships. They cannot trust others and are constantly
fearful of being hurt
• Capacity to “get under the skin”- PDs have uncanny ability to merge personal
boundaries with others.
Individuals with PDs tend to be less educated or unemployed. They are often single, or,
if married have marital difficulties. They often have comorbid substance abuse disorders,
and may commit violent and non-violent crimes, including sex offenses. People with
PDs evoke emotional reactions in health care workers: may be aggravating, and
demanding, or seductive and dependent; staff may react with inappropriate responses
CHAMBERLAIN COLLEGE OF
NURSING NS 320 STUDY GUIDE-
EXAM 3
CHAPTER 34: PERSONALITY DISORDERS
Personality is defined as “an enduring pattern of behavior that is considered to be both
conscious and unconscious and reflects a means of adapting to a particular environment
and its cultural, ethnic and community standards.” An individual with a healthy
personality has the following characteristics:
• Sees his or her own strengths and weaknesses
• Identifies his or her own boundaries
• Recognizes interactions and thoughts that lead to strong emotions such as joy or
anger
• Interacts with others without expecting them to meet all needs
• Seeks a balance of work and play
• Accomplishes goals
• Defines and expresses spirituality
In contrast, personality disorder (PD) is defined as “an enduring pattern of inner
experience and behavior that deviates markedly from the expectation of the individual’s
culture, is pervasive and inflexible, has onset in adolescence or early adulthood, is stable
over time, and leads to distress or impairment.” A person with a PD exhibits long-term
maladaptive behavior that prevents him or her from accomplishing desired goals in
relationship and other endeavors. These behaviors are not experienced as
uncomfortable or disorganized by the individual, as are the symptoms of clients with
, anxiety, mood, or psychotic disorders. The main maladaptive behavior may affect only
one aspect of the person’s life, such as intimate relationships. Therefore, many
individuals with PDs do not seek treatment unless there is a crisis or a comorbid
diagnosis that causes distress. All of the PDs have 4 characteristics in common:
• Inflexible and maladaptive response to stress-ex. Compulsive traits may get the
job done at work but be hard on a relationship; rigid behavior serves what
function?
• Disability in working and loving-for the most part PDs have normal ego
functioning but have difficulty with interpersonal and loving relationships; all
PDs have self-esteem issues
• Ability to evoke interpersonal conflict-PDs can’t see themselves objectively;
therefore they lack the desire to alter aspects of their behavior to enrich or
maintain important relationships. They cannot trust others and are constantly
fearful of being hurt
• Capacity to “get under the skin”- PDs have uncanny ability to merge personal
boundaries with others.
Individuals with PDs tend to be less educated or unemployed. They are often single, or,
if married have marital difficulties. They often have comorbid substance abuse disorders,
and may commit violent and non-violent crimes, including sex offenses. People with
PDs evoke emotional reactions in health care workers: may be aggravating, and
demanding, or seductive and dependent; staff may react with inappropriate responses
