PSYC 435 - Abnormal Psychology Quiz 4
Concepts Questions With Verified Answers
Graded A+
Case Study: Alan (Narcissistic Personality Disorder):
- 25, student, graduate program - tells professors how motivated and excited he is - rarely bothers to
read assigned material - hands in papers that are unfinished drafts - mediocre grades - complains he is
not treated well by professors and is being singled out - believes he is much more talented than his
grades suggest and blames his professors - spreads malicious rumours about them
What is the definition of a personality disorder?
Inflexible and maladaptive traits that are pervasive and stable. Their ways of perceiving, thinking, and
behaving compromise their ability to function effectively and relate to other people and the
environment. They experience chronic interpersonal difficulties, problems with identity or sense of
self, and are unable to function in an adaptive manner.
What are the general DSM criteria for diagnosing personality disorders?
The person's enduring pattern of behavior must be pervasive and inflexible, as well as stable and of
long duration. It must also cause either clinically significant distress or impairment in functioning and
be manifested in at least two of the following areas: cognition, affectivity, interpersonal functioning,
or impulse control.
What is the approximate prevalence of personality disorders in the general population?
Somewhere between 10 and 12 percent of people in the general population likely meet criteria for at
least one personality disorder.
What are three reasons for the high frequency of misdiagnoses of personality disorders?
1. Even with structured interviews, the reliability of diagnosing personality disorders typically is less
than ideal because many of the symptoms of specific personality disorders are not very precisely
defined. A great deal of judgment is needed to know if a person's behavior meets the standard in
each case. 2. Many different interviews and self report measures can be used to assess personality
and personality disorders but there is not always high agreement between the diagnoses made with
one instrument versus another. 3. Classifying personality disorders in a categorical manner may not
be the best approach. Most researchers today agree that a dimensional approach for assessing
personality disorders has many advantages and would be preferable.
What are two reasons why it is difficult to conduct research on personality disorders?
It is difficult to determine the causes of personality disorders because most studies to date are
retrospective. 2. Most people with one personality disorder have at least one more personality
disorder as well. This complicates research.
What are the three Cluster A personality disorders?
1. Paranoid 2. Schizoid 3. Schizotypal
Paranoid Personality Disorder:
- Suspiciousness and mistrust - Equally common in men and women - Prevalence 1 - 2% - Little known
on the cause - Increased risk for schizophrenia
, Case Study: Paranoid Personality Disorder:
- 46 yr., male, blue collar job, admitted after suicide attempt - car accident as a teen hospitalized for
head trauma and brain concussion - long history of alcohol abuse - described as hypersensitive,
touchy, suspicious, mistrustful - concern over wife's fidelity
Schizoid Personality Disorder:
- Little interest in developing social relationships and not emotionally expressive - Viewed by others as
cold and aloof - Prevalence 1% - More common in men than women - Little known on the cause; in
part because such people have little interest in taking part in research
Case Study: Bill (Schizoid Personality Disorder)
- 33 yr., male, computer analyst - withdrawn, referred by physician suspecting depression, virtually no
contact with other people - lifelong loner, few friends, oldest of 5 children, never dated in high
school/once in college, drank frequently with one friend in college who's since moved - reports having
a hard time making friends, not knowing what to say, thought of making his life more positive but not
seeming worth the trouble, happiest alone
Schizotypal Personality Disorder:
- Oddities in their thinking, speech, or behavior - They may have magical thinking or express odd
beliefs - Genetic and other biological factors are implicated - thought to be part of the schizophrenia
spectrum - Prevalence 1% - Thought to be more common in males than females
What are the four Cluster B personality disorders?
1. Histrionic 2. Narcissistic 3. Antisocial 4. Borderline
Histrionic Personality Disorder:
- Excessive attention seeking, high levels of extraversion, and theatrical and sometimes seductive
behavior - Prevalence slightly more than 1% - more common in women than men - Recommended for
deletion in DSM-5, although this did not happen. Many question whether it is a meaningful diagnosis.
Case Study: Lulu (Histrionic Personality Disorder):
- 24, f, housewife, husband left her at the bus station for her to return to her own family as he was
tired of taking care of her - admitted for vagrancy, dressed up very feminine and special for the
interview, flirtatious and somewhat childlike seductive gestures with male psychiatrist, talked very
vaguely of her life and childhood, complained her husband abandoned her and could not return to
her family as her brothers abused her - no friends, did not know how she would get on, felt other
women didn't like her though she assured she was very nice and kind - wife of a couple friend accused
her of being overly seductive toward her husband - her own husband complained of her inappropriate
behaviour around other men and how vain and needing of attention she was
Narcissistic Personality Disorder:
- Exaggerated sense of self-importance, a need for admiration, and lack of empathy for the feelings of
other people - Act in very entitled ways - More common in men than women - Prevalence just under
1%
Antisocial Personality Disorder:
- Deceitful, aggressive, and irresponsible behavior and a lack of regard for the rights of others - Much
more prevalent in men (3%) than women (1%) - Many incarcerated people have this disorder - roots
Concepts Questions With Verified Answers
Graded A+
Case Study: Alan (Narcissistic Personality Disorder):
- 25, student, graduate program - tells professors how motivated and excited he is - rarely bothers to
read assigned material - hands in papers that are unfinished drafts - mediocre grades - complains he is
not treated well by professors and is being singled out - believes he is much more talented than his
grades suggest and blames his professors - spreads malicious rumours about them
What is the definition of a personality disorder?
Inflexible and maladaptive traits that are pervasive and stable. Their ways of perceiving, thinking, and
behaving compromise their ability to function effectively and relate to other people and the
environment. They experience chronic interpersonal difficulties, problems with identity or sense of
self, and are unable to function in an adaptive manner.
What are the general DSM criteria for diagnosing personality disorders?
The person's enduring pattern of behavior must be pervasive and inflexible, as well as stable and of
long duration. It must also cause either clinically significant distress or impairment in functioning and
be manifested in at least two of the following areas: cognition, affectivity, interpersonal functioning,
or impulse control.
What is the approximate prevalence of personality disorders in the general population?
Somewhere between 10 and 12 percent of people in the general population likely meet criteria for at
least one personality disorder.
What are three reasons for the high frequency of misdiagnoses of personality disorders?
1. Even with structured interviews, the reliability of diagnosing personality disorders typically is less
than ideal because many of the symptoms of specific personality disorders are not very precisely
defined. A great deal of judgment is needed to know if a person's behavior meets the standard in
each case. 2. Many different interviews and self report measures can be used to assess personality
and personality disorders but there is not always high agreement between the diagnoses made with
one instrument versus another. 3. Classifying personality disorders in a categorical manner may not
be the best approach. Most researchers today agree that a dimensional approach for assessing
personality disorders has many advantages and would be preferable.
What are two reasons why it is difficult to conduct research on personality disorders?
It is difficult to determine the causes of personality disorders because most studies to date are
retrospective. 2. Most people with one personality disorder have at least one more personality
disorder as well. This complicates research.
What are the three Cluster A personality disorders?
1. Paranoid 2. Schizoid 3. Schizotypal
Paranoid Personality Disorder:
- Suspiciousness and mistrust - Equally common in men and women - Prevalence 1 - 2% - Little known
on the cause - Increased risk for schizophrenia
, Case Study: Paranoid Personality Disorder:
- 46 yr., male, blue collar job, admitted after suicide attempt - car accident as a teen hospitalized for
head trauma and brain concussion - long history of alcohol abuse - described as hypersensitive,
touchy, suspicious, mistrustful - concern over wife's fidelity
Schizoid Personality Disorder:
- Little interest in developing social relationships and not emotionally expressive - Viewed by others as
cold and aloof - Prevalence 1% - More common in men than women - Little known on the cause; in
part because such people have little interest in taking part in research
Case Study: Bill (Schizoid Personality Disorder)
- 33 yr., male, computer analyst - withdrawn, referred by physician suspecting depression, virtually no
contact with other people - lifelong loner, few friends, oldest of 5 children, never dated in high
school/once in college, drank frequently with one friend in college who's since moved - reports having
a hard time making friends, not knowing what to say, thought of making his life more positive but not
seeming worth the trouble, happiest alone
Schizotypal Personality Disorder:
- Oddities in their thinking, speech, or behavior - They may have magical thinking or express odd
beliefs - Genetic and other biological factors are implicated - thought to be part of the schizophrenia
spectrum - Prevalence 1% - Thought to be more common in males than females
What are the four Cluster B personality disorders?
1. Histrionic 2. Narcissistic 3. Antisocial 4. Borderline
Histrionic Personality Disorder:
- Excessive attention seeking, high levels of extraversion, and theatrical and sometimes seductive
behavior - Prevalence slightly more than 1% - more common in women than men - Recommended for
deletion in DSM-5, although this did not happen. Many question whether it is a meaningful diagnosis.
Case Study: Lulu (Histrionic Personality Disorder):
- 24, f, housewife, husband left her at the bus station for her to return to her own family as he was
tired of taking care of her - admitted for vagrancy, dressed up very feminine and special for the
interview, flirtatious and somewhat childlike seductive gestures with male psychiatrist, talked very
vaguely of her life and childhood, complained her husband abandoned her and could not return to
her family as her brothers abused her - no friends, did not know how she would get on, felt other
women didn't like her though she assured she was very nice and kind - wife of a couple friend accused
her of being overly seductive toward her husband - her own husband complained of her inappropriate
behaviour around other men and how vain and needing of attention she was
Narcissistic Personality Disorder:
- Exaggerated sense of self-importance, a need for admiration, and lack of empathy for the feelings of
other people - Act in very entitled ways - More common in men than women - Prevalence just under
1%
Antisocial Personality Disorder:
- Deceitful, aggressive, and irresponsible behavior and a lack of regard for the rights of others - Much
more prevalent in men (3%) than women (1%) - Many incarcerated people have this disorder - roots
