Passive Aggressive Personality
Disorder
, CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Passive aggressive personality disorder was first documented in 1945 by the US
War Department at the end of the second world war. Colonel William Menninger
voiced his concern about soldiers neglecting their duties due to willful incompetence.
They are not openly defiant, but express their aggressiveness with passive actions
such as being sullen, stubborn, procrastinating and inefficient. When the first edition
of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) was published,
experts cited aggressiveness that was conveyed "with passive resistance to fulfilling a
demanding routine". The development of the understanding of passive aggressive
disorder continues to be updated, until the DSM-IV which was published 42 years
later, This disorder is also referred to as negativistic (passive aggressive) personality
disorder by Theodore Millon who is a DSM consultant. The definition of passive
aggressive personality disorder in the DSM-IV seeks to maintain the key criteria of
the DSM-III while enlarging the scope of the disorder.1,2
The DSM-IV describes passive aggressive personality disorder as “a pervasive
pattern of negative attitudes and passive resistance to adequate performance demands,
beginning in early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts”. This is indicated
by fulfilling four of the following seven criteria: (1) passively refusing to fulfill
routine social and work duties; (2) complaining of being misunderstood and
unappreciated by others; (3) sullen and argumentative; (4) irrationally criticizing and
ridiculing; (5) express jealousy and hatred towards those who seem to be more
2
, fortunate; (6) voicing excessive and persistent complaints about his own misfortunes;
(7) attitudes that fluctuate between hostile disobedience and regret.3,4
This referral is organized to increase knowledge about what is meant by passive
aggressive personality disorder, how to diagnose and the therapy given to patients.
3
Disorder
, CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Passive aggressive personality disorder was first documented in 1945 by the US
War Department at the end of the second world war. Colonel William Menninger
voiced his concern about soldiers neglecting their duties due to willful incompetence.
They are not openly defiant, but express their aggressiveness with passive actions
such as being sullen, stubborn, procrastinating and inefficient. When the first edition
of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) was published,
experts cited aggressiveness that was conveyed "with passive resistance to fulfilling a
demanding routine". The development of the understanding of passive aggressive
disorder continues to be updated, until the DSM-IV which was published 42 years
later, This disorder is also referred to as negativistic (passive aggressive) personality
disorder by Theodore Millon who is a DSM consultant. The definition of passive
aggressive personality disorder in the DSM-IV seeks to maintain the key criteria of
the DSM-III while enlarging the scope of the disorder.1,2
The DSM-IV describes passive aggressive personality disorder as “a pervasive
pattern of negative attitudes and passive resistance to adequate performance demands,
beginning in early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts”. This is indicated
by fulfilling four of the following seven criteria: (1) passively refusing to fulfill
routine social and work duties; (2) complaining of being misunderstood and
unappreciated by others; (3) sullen and argumentative; (4) irrationally criticizing and
ridiculing; (5) express jealousy and hatred towards those who seem to be more
2
, fortunate; (6) voicing excessive and persistent complaints about his own misfortunes;
(7) attitudes that fluctuate between hostile disobedience and regret.3,4
This referral is organized to increase knowledge about what is meant by passive
aggressive personality disorder, how to diagnose and the therapy given to patients.
3
