Ch 10 Personality Disorders
PowerPoint Exam Questions and
Answers
Clinical Features of Personality Disorders (2 of 3) - ANSWER-•People with
personality disorders often cause at least as much difficulty in the lives of others as
they do in their own lives.
•Do not stem from debilitating reactions to stress; instead come largely from the
gradual development of inflexible and distorted personality and behavioral patterns
•Three clusters of personality disorders in DSM-5:
•Cluster A: paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal personality disorders
•Cluster B: histrionic, narcissistic, antisocial, and borderline personality disorders
•Cluster C: avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders
•Three clusters of personality disorders in DSM-5: - ANSWER-•Cluster A: paranoid,
schizoid, and schizotypal personality disorders
•Cluster B: histrionic, narcissistic, antisocial, and borderline personality disorders
•Cluster C: avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders
Cluster A: - ANSWER-paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal personality disorders
Cluster B: - ANSWER-histrionic, narcissistic, antisocial, and borderline personality
disorders
Cluster C: - ANSWER-avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality
disorders
Clinical Features of Personality Disorders (3 of 3) - ANSWER-•Category and cluster
designations have substantial limitations; too many overlapping features across both
categories and clusters
•Several epidemiological studies have assessed the prevalence of personality
disorders:
•Approximately 1 person in 10 has a diagnosable personality disorder of some kind.
•Cluster C disorders are most common, with a prevalence of around 7 percent.
•Personality disorders are often found together with anxiety disorders, mood
disorders, substance use problems, and sexual difficulties and disorders.
Challenges in Personality Disorders Research (1 of 3)
Difficulties in Diagnosing Personality Disorders - ANSWER-Difficulties in Diagnosing
Personality Disorders
•Diagnostic criteria are not as sharply defined as they are for most other diagnostic
categories
, -Criteria defined by inferred traits or consistent patterns of behavior, rather than by
more objective behavioral standards
•Diagnostic reliability and validity are still low despite the availability of semi-
structured interviews and self-report inventories
•No unified dimensional classification of personality disorders
•Focus on developing an approach that will integrate the many different existing
approaches; the five-factor model most influential
Challenges in Personality Disorders Research (2 of 3)
Difficulties in Studying the Causes of Personality Disorders - ANSWER-Difficulties in
Studying the Causes of Personality Disorders
•Not much is known about what causes the development of personality disorders
•High level of comorbidity among disorders
•Relatively little prospective research has been conducted
•Biological Factors: infants' temperament may predispose them to develop particular
personality traits and disorders
Challenges in Personality Disorders Research (3 of 3) - ANSWER-•Psychological
Factors:
•Psychodynamic theories: an infant's getting excessive versus insufficient
gratification of its impulses in the first few years of life
•Learning-based: habit patterns and maladaptive cognitive styles
•May originate in disturbed parent-child attachment relationships
•Parental psychopathology and ineffective parenting practices also implicated
•Early emotional, physical, and sexual abuse may also be important factors
•Sociocultural Factors: social stressors, societal changes, and cultural values
Cluster A Personality Disorders (1 of 6) - ANSWER-Paranoid Personality Disorder
•Individuals with this disorder:
-are suspicious, distrustful
-bear grudges
-refuse to forgive perceived insults and slights
-can display violent behaviors, rigidity, hypersensitivity, and argumentativeness
-are constantly "on guard" for attacks from others
•Prevalence is around 1 to 2 percent, with equal numbers of men and women being
affected
Cluster A Personality Disorders (2 of 6)
Paranoid Personality Disorder - ANSWER-•Not well studied, in part because people
who are highly suspicious and lacking in trust tend not to want to participate in
research studies
•Biological factors: evidence of modest genetic liability
•May occur through the heritability of high levels of antagonism (low agreeableness)
and neuroticism (angry hostility), which are among the primary traits of the disorder
•Psychosocial factors: parental neglect or abuse and exposure to violent adults
Cluster A Personality Disorders (3 of 6) - ANSWER-Schizoid Personality Disorder
•Difficulty forming social relationships, usually lack much interest in doing so
•Unable to express their feelings; seen by others as cold and distant
•Prevalence is a little over 1 percent; more common in males than females
PowerPoint Exam Questions and
Answers
Clinical Features of Personality Disorders (2 of 3) - ANSWER-•People with
personality disorders often cause at least as much difficulty in the lives of others as
they do in their own lives.
•Do not stem from debilitating reactions to stress; instead come largely from the
gradual development of inflexible and distorted personality and behavioral patterns
•Three clusters of personality disorders in DSM-5:
•Cluster A: paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal personality disorders
•Cluster B: histrionic, narcissistic, antisocial, and borderline personality disorders
•Cluster C: avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders
•Three clusters of personality disorders in DSM-5: - ANSWER-•Cluster A: paranoid,
schizoid, and schizotypal personality disorders
•Cluster B: histrionic, narcissistic, antisocial, and borderline personality disorders
•Cluster C: avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders
Cluster A: - ANSWER-paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal personality disorders
Cluster B: - ANSWER-histrionic, narcissistic, antisocial, and borderline personality
disorders
Cluster C: - ANSWER-avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality
disorders
Clinical Features of Personality Disorders (3 of 3) - ANSWER-•Category and cluster
designations have substantial limitations; too many overlapping features across both
categories and clusters
•Several epidemiological studies have assessed the prevalence of personality
disorders:
•Approximately 1 person in 10 has a diagnosable personality disorder of some kind.
•Cluster C disorders are most common, with a prevalence of around 7 percent.
•Personality disorders are often found together with anxiety disorders, mood
disorders, substance use problems, and sexual difficulties and disorders.
Challenges in Personality Disorders Research (1 of 3)
Difficulties in Diagnosing Personality Disorders - ANSWER-Difficulties in Diagnosing
Personality Disorders
•Diagnostic criteria are not as sharply defined as they are for most other diagnostic
categories
, -Criteria defined by inferred traits or consistent patterns of behavior, rather than by
more objective behavioral standards
•Diagnostic reliability and validity are still low despite the availability of semi-
structured interviews and self-report inventories
•No unified dimensional classification of personality disorders
•Focus on developing an approach that will integrate the many different existing
approaches; the five-factor model most influential
Challenges in Personality Disorders Research (2 of 3)
Difficulties in Studying the Causes of Personality Disorders - ANSWER-Difficulties in
Studying the Causes of Personality Disorders
•Not much is known about what causes the development of personality disorders
•High level of comorbidity among disorders
•Relatively little prospective research has been conducted
•Biological Factors: infants' temperament may predispose them to develop particular
personality traits and disorders
Challenges in Personality Disorders Research (3 of 3) - ANSWER-•Psychological
Factors:
•Psychodynamic theories: an infant's getting excessive versus insufficient
gratification of its impulses in the first few years of life
•Learning-based: habit patterns and maladaptive cognitive styles
•May originate in disturbed parent-child attachment relationships
•Parental psychopathology and ineffective parenting practices also implicated
•Early emotional, physical, and sexual abuse may also be important factors
•Sociocultural Factors: social stressors, societal changes, and cultural values
Cluster A Personality Disorders (1 of 6) - ANSWER-Paranoid Personality Disorder
•Individuals with this disorder:
-are suspicious, distrustful
-bear grudges
-refuse to forgive perceived insults and slights
-can display violent behaviors, rigidity, hypersensitivity, and argumentativeness
-are constantly "on guard" for attacks from others
•Prevalence is around 1 to 2 percent, with equal numbers of men and women being
affected
Cluster A Personality Disorders (2 of 6)
Paranoid Personality Disorder - ANSWER-•Not well studied, in part because people
who are highly suspicious and lacking in trust tend not to want to participate in
research studies
•Biological factors: evidence of modest genetic liability
•May occur through the heritability of high levels of antagonism (low agreeableness)
and neuroticism (angry hostility), which are among the primary traits of the disorder
•Psychosocial factors: parental neglect or abuse and exposure to violent adults
Cluster A Personality Disorders (3 of 6) - ANSWER-Schizoid Personality Disorder
•Difficulty forming social relationships, usually lack much interest in doing so
•Unable to express their feelings; seen by others as cold and distant
•Prevalence is a little over 1 percent; more common in males than females
