Download Personality Disorders

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I pulled up near a gas station. I told the service
station guy to give me all of his money. I then
took him to the bathroom and told him to kneel
down and then I shot him in the head twice.
The guy didn’t give me any trouble but I just
felt like I had to do it. [The next morning, I left
my car at another service station] I went in and
told the guy to give me the money…Then I shot
him.
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Personality disorder = psychological disorder
characterized by inflexible and enduring
behavior patterns that impair social
functioning.
 Dysfunctional behavior patterns that impair
people’s social functioning without depression or
delusions.
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Personality disorders symptoms
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Ego syntonic = feels like a normal part of oneself
Most have interpersonal problems
Can be difficult to diagnose in initial session
Difficult to treat & can affect treatment of other
disorders
Personality disorders are classified within
clusters defined by common features
Cluster A
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1)
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Main feature is odd or eccentric in nature
Within this cluster:
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▪
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Paranoid PD – distrust and suspiciousness
Schizoid PD – detachment from social relationships
(does not want them)
Schizotypal PD – feels intense discomfort in close
relationships; has distorted thinking and eccentric
behavior.
2) Cluster B
 Main feature is dramatic, emotional, or erratic
 Within this cluster:
▪ Antisocial PD – disregard for social norms and rights of
others
▪ Borderline PD – instability in relationships, self-image,
and mood; impulsive
▪ Histrionic PD – excessive emotionality and attention
seeking
▪ Narcissistic PD – elaborate, need for admiration, selfcentered
3) Cluster C
 Main feature involves anxiety or fearfulness
 Within this cluster:
▪ Dependent PD – submissive, need to be taken
care of
▪ Avoidant PD – social inhibition and inadequacy
▪ Obsessive-Compulsive PD – orderliness,
perfectionism, need to control things
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Formerly called a sociopath or psychopath
Usually male
Lack of conscience becomes plain before age 15
Common characteristics:
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Superficial charm
Absence of delusions and irrational thinking
Absence of “nervousness”
Unreliability
Untruthfulness and insincerity
Lack of remorse or shame
Poor judgment and failure to learn by experience
Incapable of love
Unresponsiveness in general interpersonal relations
Sex life impersonal and trivial
Failure to follow any life plan
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“Criminal” is a legal term denoting
conviction for breaking a law:
 Not all people with ASPD are criminals (or
in jail)
 Not all people in jail or considered criminals
have ASPD
▪ Many criminals do show responsible concern for
their family and friends.
▪ Antisocial personalities feel and fear little.
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Jeffrey Dahmer
 Killing spree 1978-1991 of 17 known
men & boys.
 Murders involved rape,
dismemberment, cannibalism, & necrophilia.
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Henry Lee Lucas
 32 years of crime
 Confessed to killing 360 women,
men, and children.
 Murders involved beating,
suffocation, shooting, and stabbing
Biological
-Twin, family, and adoption data show strong genetic
influence
- Show little autonomic nervous system arousal is stressful
situations
-Violent repeat offenders have 11% less frontal lobe tissue
than normal.
Neither “bad” genes alone nor a “bad” environment alone
predispose later antisocial behavior.
-Nature vs. Nurture interact
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Antisocial behavior seems to age out after 40
- could still show ASPD features (lying; poor work habits)
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Most don’t seek treatment for ASPD
No treatment shown to be effective
More likely to end up in jail than in treatment
Focus is on prevention –
 Target antisocial children & channel
characteristics (fearfulness, low anxiety) into
positive roles
▪ athletics, adventure, military