Personality Disorder (cluster C ) Abnormal psychology PDF

Preview

Summary

Personality Disorder(CLUSTER C)AVOIDANT PERSONALITY DISORDERIndividuals with avoidant personality disorder show extreme social inhibition and introversion, leading to lifelong patterns of limited social relationships and reluctance to enter into social interactions. Because of their hypersensitivity...

Description

Personality Disorder (CLUSTER C) AVOIDANT PERSONALITY DISORDER Individuals with avoidant personality disorder show extreme social inhibition and introversion, leading to lifelong patterns of limited social relationships and reluctance to enter into social interactions. Because of their hypersensitivity to, and fear of, criticism and rebuff, they do not seek out other people, yet they desire affection and are often lonely and bored. Unlike schizoid personalities, people with avoidant personality disorder do not enjoy their aloneness Feeling inept and socially inadequate are the two most prevalent and stable features of avoidant personality disorder. Individuals with this disorder also show more generalized timidity and avoidance of many novel situations and emotions (including positive emotions), and show deficits in their ability to experience pleasure as well.

Criteria for Avoidant Personality Disorder A pervasive pattern of social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, and hypersensitivity to negative evaluation, beginning by early

adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by four (or more) of the following: 1.

Avoids occupational activities that involve significant

interpersonal contact, because of fears of criticism, disapproval, or rejection 2. Is unwilling to get involved with people unless certain of being liked 3. Shows restraint within intimate relationships because of the fear of being shamed or ridiculed 4. Is preoccupied with fear of being criticized or rejected in social situations 5. Is inhibited in new interpersonal situations because of feelings of inadequacy 6. Views self as socially inept, personally unappealing, or inferior to others 7.

is unusually reluctant to take personal risks or to engage in

any new activities because they may prove embarrassing

DEPENDENT PERSONALITY DISORDER Individuals with dependent personality disorder show an extreme need to be taken care of, which leads to clinging and submissive behavior. They also show acute fear at the possibility

of separation or sometimes of simply having to be alone because they see themselves as inept. These individuals usually build their lives around other people and subordinate their own needs. They often fail to get appropriately angry with others because of a fear of losing their support, which means that people with dependent personalities may remain in psychologically or physically abusive relationships. They have great difficulty making even simple, everyday decisions without a great deal of advice and reassurance because they lack selfconfidence and feel helpless even when they have actually developed good work skills or other competencies. They may function well as long as they are not required to be on their own. Dependent personalities have great difficulty separating in relationships because they feel incompetent on their own and have a need to be taken care of

Criteria for Dependent Personality Disorder A pervasive and excessive need to be taken care of that leads to submissive and clinging behavior and fears of separation, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following: 1.

Has difficulty making everyday decisions without an

excessive amount of advice and reassurance from others

2. Needs others to assume responsibility for most major areas of his or her life 3. Has difficulty expressing disagreement with others because of fear of loss of support or approval. 4. Has difficulty initiating projects or doing things on his or her own 5.

Goes to excessive lengths to obtain nurturance and support

from others, to the point of volunteering to do things that are unpleasant 6.

Feels uncomfortable or helpless when alone because of

exaggerated fears of being unable to care for himself or herself 7. Urgently seeks another relationship as a source of care and support when a close relationship ends 8. Is unrealistically preoccupied with fears of being left to take care of himself or herself

OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE PERSONALITY DISORDER Perfectionism and an excessive concern with maintaining order and control characterize individuals with Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD). Their preoccupation with maintaining mental and interpersonal control occurs through careful attention to rules, order, and schedules. They are very

careful in what they do so as not to make mistakes, but because the details they are preoccupied with are often trivial they use their time poorly and have a difficult time seeing the larger picture. This perfectionism is also often dysfunctional and can result in their never finishing projects. They also tend to be devoted to work to the exclusion of leisure activities and may have difficulty relaxing or doing anything just for fun. At an interpersonal level, they have difficulty delegating tasks to others and are quite rigid, stubborn, and cold, which is how others tend to view them. The most prevalent and stable features of OCPD are rigidity, stubbornness, and perfectionism, as well as reluctance to delegate. It is important to note that people with OCPD do not have true obsessions or compulsive rituals that are the source of extreme anxiety or distress in people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Criteria for Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder A pervasive pattern of preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and mental and interpersonal control, at the expense of flexibility, openness, and efficiency, beginning by

early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by four (or more) of the following: 1.

Is preoccupied with details, rules, lists, order, organization,

or schedules to the extent that the major point of the activity is lost 2.

Shows perfectionism that interferes with task completion

(e.g., is unable to complete a project because of overly strict standards) 3. Is excessively devoted to work and productivity to the exclusion of leisure activities and friendships 4. Is over conscientious, scrupulous, and inflexible about matters of morality, ethics, or values 5. Is unable to discard worn-out or worthless objects even when they have no sentimental value 6.

Is reluctant to delegate tasks or to work with others unless

they submit to exactly his or her way of doing things 7.

Adopts a miserly spending style toward both self and

others; money is viewed as something to be hoarded for future catastrophes 8. Shows rigidity and stubbornness

PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE PERSONALITY DISORDER The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders revision IV (DSM-IV) describes passive aggressive personality disorder as a pervasive pattern of negativistic attitudes and passive resistance to demands for adequate performance in social and occupational situations. Passive aggressive behavior is the primary symptom of the passive aggressive personality disorder. Persons with Passive Aggressive Personality Disorder are characterized by procrastination, covert obstructionism, inefficiency and stubbornness.

Passive aggressive personality disorder (PAPD) played an important role in clinical diagnosis during DSM III, however in DSM IV the disorder was relabeled ‘negativistic’, and was included in the appendix of DSM IV TR.

Diagnostic Criteria for Passive-Aggressive Personality Disorder A pervasive pattern of passive resistance to demands for adequate social and occupational performance, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by at least five of the following: 1. Procrastinates, i.e., puts off things that need to be done so that deadlines are not met 2. Becomes sulky, irritable, or argumentative when asked to do something they do not want to do 3.

Seems to work deliberately slowly or to do a bad job on

tasks that they really do not want to do 4. Protests, without justification, that others make unreasonable demands on him or her avoids obligations by claiming to have "forgotten" 5. Believes that he or she is doing a much better job than others think he or she is doing 6. Resents useful suggestions from others concerning how he or she could be more productive 7.

Obstructs the efforts of others by failing to do his or her

share of the work 8. Unreasonably criticizes or scorns people in positions of authority...