Personality Disorder

Ms. Saira Maqsood

Psychopathology
Personality Disorder

A personality disorder is a type of mental disorder in which you have a

rigid and unhealthy pattern of thinking, functioning and behaving. A

person with a personality disorder has trouble perceiving and relating

to situations and people. This causes significant problems and

limitations in relationships, social activities, work and school.

Types of personality disorders

• Paranoid personality disorder

•Schizoid personality disorder. Cluster A

• Schizotypal personality disorder

• Antisocial personality disorder

• Borderline personality disorder

•Histrionic personality disorder. Cluster B

•Narcissistic personality disorder

 Cluster C

• Avoidant personality disorder.

• Dependent personality disorder.

• Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder.

Personality change due to another medical condition

Other specified personality disorder and unspecified

personality disorder
General Personality Disorder

An enduring pattern of inner experience and behavior that deviates markedly from the

expectations of the individual’s culture. This pattern is manifested in two (or more) of the

following areas:

1. Cognition (i.e., ways of perceiving and interpreting self, other people, and events).

2. Affectivity (i.e., the range, intensity, lability, and appropriateness of emotional

response).

3. Interpersonal functioning.

4. 4. Impulse control.

The enduring pattern is inflexible and pervasive across a broad range of personal and

social situations.
Onset

The pattern is stable and of long duration, and Its

onset can be traced back at least to adolescence or early

adulthood.

Prevalence

Certain personality disorders (e.g., antisocial

personality disorder) are diagnosed more frequently in

males. Others (e.g., borderline, histrionic, and dependent

personality disorders) are diagnosed more frequently in

females
 Paranoid Personality Disorder

Paranoid personality disorder (PPD) is one of a group of conditions

called eccentric personality disorders. People with PPD suffer

from paranoia, an unrelenting mistrust and suspicion of others, even

when there is no reason to be suspicious.

Symptoms

• Believing that others have hidden motives or are out to harm them

• Doubting the loyalty of others

• Being hypersensitive to criticism

• Having trouble working with others

• Bing quick to become angry and hostile

• Becoming detached or socially isolated

• Being argumentative and defensive

• Having trouble seeing their own problems

• Having trouble relaxing

0nset

Paranoid Personality Disorder may be first apparent in childhood and

adolescence with solitariness, poor peer relationships, social anxiety,

underachievement in school, hypersensitivity, peculiar thoughts and language, and

idiosyncratic fantasies

Prevalence

A prevalence estimate for paranoid personality greater in males and less in females.
Schizoid personality disorder is a type of

eccentric personality disorder. A person with this disorder

behaves differently from most other people. This may

include avoiding social interactions, or seeming to be

aloof or lacking personality. However, people with this

disorder are able to function fairly well in society

SYMPTOMS
 This condition is usually diagnosed in early
adulthood. Symptoms include:
 being detached

 preferring to be alone

 avoiding social situations

 not desiring relationships

 seeming dull or indifferent

 inability to enjoy activities

 trouble relating to others

 lacking motivation
ONSET

Schizoid personality disorder may be first apparent in childhood and adolescence

with solitariness, poor peer relationships, and underachievement in school, which

mark these children or adolescents as different and make them subject to teasing.
Prevalence
Schizoid personality disorder is diagnosed slightly more

often in males and may cause more impairment in them

Schizotypal Personality Disorder
SCHIZOTYPAL PERSONALITY DISORDER

 Schizotypal personality disorder is marked by a pervasive

pattern of social and interpersonal deficits. Individuals with

schizotypal personality disorder have little capacity—and

perhaps even need—for close relationships.

 They’re often described as eccentric or bizarre. They may be

suspicious and paranoid of others. They come across as “stiff”

and don’t seem to fit in anywhere they go.

SYMPTOMS

 Ideas of reference (excluding delusions of reference

 Odd beliefs or magical thinking

 Unusual perceptual experiences, including bodily illusions

 Odd thinking and speech

 Suspiciousness or paranoid ideation.

 Inappropriate or constricted affect.

 Behavior or appearance that is odd, eccentric, or peculiar.

 Lack of close friends or confidants other than first-degree relatives.

 Excessive social anxiety

Onset

Schizotypal personality disorder may be first apparent in

childhood and adolescence.

Prevalence

Schizotypal personality disorder may be slightly more

common in males.
Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) is a deeply ingrained and rigid

dysfunctional thought process that focuses on social irresponsibility with

exploitive, delinquent, and criminal behavior with no remorse.

SYMPTOMS
 Disregard for right and wrong
 Persistent lying or deceit to exploit others
 Being callous, cynical and disrespectful of others
 Using charm or wit to manipulate others for personal gain or personal
pleasure
 Arrogance, a sense of superiority and being extremely opinionated
 Recurring problems with the law, including criminal behavior
 Repeatedly violating the rights of others through intimidation and
dishonesty
CONTINUE
 Impulsiveness or failure to plan ahead

 Hostility, significant irritability, agitation, aggression or violence

 Lack of empathy for others and lack of remorse about harming others

 Unnecessary risk-taking or dangerous behavior with no regard for the safety of self or others

 Poor or abusive relationships

 Failure to consider the negative consequences of behavior or learn from them

 Being consistently irresponsible and repeatedly failing to fulfill work or financial

obligations
Onset

The individual is at least age 15 to 18 years

Prevalence

Antisocial personality disorder is much more common in

males than in females

Borderline Personality Disorder
Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a mental illness

that:

• makes it hard for a person to feel comfortable in

themselves

• causes problems controlling emotions and impulses

• causes problems relating to other people.

People with BPD have high levels of distress and anger.

They can easily take offence at things other people do or

say.
SYMPTOMS
 Fear of abandonment. People with BPD are often terrified of
being abandoned or left alone.
 Unstable relationships. People with BPD tend to have relationships
that are intense and short-lived.
 Unclear or shifting self-image.
 Impulsive, self-destructive behaviors.
 Self-harm. Suicidal behavior and deliberate self-harm is common in
people with BPD.
 Extreme emotional swings
 Chronic feelings of emptiness
 Explosive anger
 Feeling suspicious or out of touch with reality
 Prevalence

Borderline personality disorder is diagnosed predominantly (about 75%) in

females.
The prevalence of borderline personality disorder may decrease in older age groups.

Onset
Early adulthood 30 to 40
Histrionic Personality Disorder
Histrionic Personality Disorder

Histrionic personality disorder (HPD) is part of a larger group of psychological

disorders, called “Cluster B” personality disorders. Disorders in this category are

generally categorized as being dramatic, emotional, or erratic.

People with HPD have a distorted mental image of themselves. They often base

their self-esteem on the approval of others. This creates a need to be noticed.

Because of this, people with HPD may resort to dramatic antics.

SYMPTOMS
 Be uncomfortable unless he or she is the center of
attention
 Dress provocatively and/or exhibit inappropriately
seductive or flirtatious behavior
 Shift emotions rapidly

 Act very dramatically, as though performing before an

audience, with exaggerated emotions and expressions,
yet appears to lack sincerity
 Be overly concerned with physical appearance

 Constantly seek reassurance or approval

 Be gullible and easily influenced by others

CONTINUE
 Be excessively sensitive to criticism or disapproval
 Have a low tolerance for frustration and be easily bored
by routine, often beginning projects without finishing
them or skipping from one event to another
 Not think before acting

 Make rash decisions

 Be self-centered and rarely show concern for others

 Have difficulty maintaining relationships, often seeming

fake or shallow in their dealings with others
 Threaten or attempt suicide to get attention
 Prevalence

In clinical settings, this disorder has been diagnosed more frequently in females;

however, the sex ratio is not significantly different from the sex ratio of females

within the respective clinical setting. In contrast, some studies using structured

assessments report similar prevalence rates among males and females.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder
 Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a personality

disorder characterized by a long-term pattern of exaggerated feelings of

self-importance, an excessive need for admiration, and a lack of empathy

toward other people

SYMPTOMS
 Preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success
 Belief of great self-importance; only understood and should
only associate with individuals of high-status
 Expectations of being realized as superior

 In need of and requiring constant admiration

 Exaggeration of achievements and talents

 Possessing a sense of entitlement

 Being envious of others and the exaggerated belief that

others are envious of you
 Thinking about oneself the majority of the time and talking
about oneself a lot; self-promotion
 Setting of unrealistic goals
CONTINUE
 Expectation that others should do special favors for you
 Belief that nobody should question your motives and
should have unwavering compliance with your requests
 Taking advantage of others to move forward in life
and/or to get what you want, with no remorse toward the
ones you stepped on to get there
 Arrogance, haughtiness

 Easily rejected, hurt, Unemotional, Power seeking

 Demonstrates superiority

 Responds to criticism with shame, anger, and

humiliation ,Easily jealous
Prevalence Onset
50%-75% are male. Adolescents
Avoidant Personality Disorder
 Avoidant Personality Disorder

Avoidant personality disorder is characterized by feelings of extreme social

inhibition, inadequacy, and sensitivity to negative criticism and rejection.

Yet the symptoms involve more than simply being shy or socially awkward.

Avoidant personality disorder causes significant problems that affect the

ability to interact with others and maintain relationships in day-to-day life. 

SYMPTOMS

 Social inhibition

 Feelings of inadequacy

 Sensitivity to criticism or rejection

 Avoidance of activities at work that involve interpersonal contact

due to fear of criticism or rejection

 Unwillingness to interact with others unless certain they will receive

a positive response
CONTINUE

 Hesitancy in intimate relationships due to fear of shame

 Preoccupation with criticism in social situations

 Feeling inadequate and being inhibited in new social situations

 Perception of self as inept, unappealing, and inferior

 Reluctance to take risks or engage in activities that might

result in embarrassment
 Prevalence

Avoidant personality disorder appears to be equally frequent in males and

females

Onset
This diagnosis should be used with great caution in children and adolescents, for whom

shy and avoidant behavior may be developmentally appropriate.

Dependent Personality Disorder

Dependent personality disorder (DPD) is an anxious personality disorder

characterized by an inability to be alone. People with DPD develop 

symptoms of anxiety when they’re not around others. They rely on other

people for comfort, reassurance, advice, and support

SYMPTOMS
 behaving submissively
 relying on friends or family for decision-making

 needing repeated reassurance

 being easily hurt by disapproval

 feeling isolated and nervous when alone

 fearing rejection

 being overly sensitivity to criticism

 being unable to be alone

 having a tendency to be naive

 fearing abandonment
 Prevalence and onset

In clinical settings, dependent personality disorder has been diagnosed more

frequently in females, although some studies report similar prevalence rates

among males and females.

 Obsessive-Compulsive Personality
Disorder

Obsessive–compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) is

a personality disorder characterized by excessive concern with

orderliness, perfectionism, attention to details, mental and

interpersonal control, and a need for control over one's

environment, which interferes with flexibility, openness to

experience, and efficiency

SYMPTOMS
 perfectionism to the point that it impairs the ability to
finish tasks
 stiff, formal, or rigid mannerisms

 being extremely frugal with money

 an overwhelming need to be punctual

 extreme attention to detail

 excessive devotion to work at the expense of family or

social relationships
CONTINUE
 hoarding worn or useless items
 an inability to share or delegate work because of a fear it
won’t be done right
 a fixation with lists

 a rigid adherence to rules and regulations

 an overwhelming need for order

 a sense of righteousness about the way things should be

done
 a rigid adherence to moral and ethical code
Prevalence
In systematic studies, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder

appears to be diagnosed about twice as often among males

 Disorder Diagnostic Features

Generalized personality Expect the worst, exaggerated worry and tension sever
than norml anxiety

Paranoid personality Unrelenting mistrust and suspicion of others, even

when there is no reason to be suspicious,

Schizoid Personality Lack of inters in social relationship, emotional

coldness, detachment and apathy.

Schizotypal Personality Sever social anxiety, derealization and unconventional

belief

Antisocial Personality Long term pattern of manipulating, exploiting or

violating the rights of other without any guilt

Borderline Personality Difficulties regulating emotions,

 Disorder Diagnostic Features

Historic Personality Excessive attention seeking emotions, include seductive

behavior and excessive need for approval.

Narcissistic Personality Exaggerated feelings of self-importance, excessive need

for admiration, lack of empathy toward other

Avoidant Personality Feelings of nervousness and fear, have poor self-esteem,

intense fear of rejection and negatively judged by others.

Dependent Personality Inability to be alone, feel anxiety when alone, rely on

other people for comfort, reassurance, advice and support.

Obsessive-Compulsive Extreme perfectionism, order and neatness, find hard to

Personality express their feelings, have difficulty forming and
maintaining close relationships.
Big five personality model
Causes of paranoid

The cause of paranoid personality disorder is unknown.

However, researchers believe that a combination of
biological and environmental factors can lead to paranoid
personality disorder.

The disorder is present more often in families with a

history of schizophrenia and delusional disorders. Early
childhood trauma may be a contributing factor.
Researchers have also identified other factors that may

predict PPD symptoms in adolescence and adulthood.

These include:

 emotional neglect

 physical neglect

 supervisory neglect

 extreme or unfounded parental rage

Causes of Schizoid Personality Disorder

Little is known about the cause of schizoid personality

disorder, but both genetics and environment are suspected to play

a role. The higher risk for schizoid personality disorder in families

of schizophrenics suggests that a genetic susceptibility for the

disorder might be inherited.

Causes of Schizotypal Personality Disorder
Researchers do not understand exactly what causes
schizotypal personality disorder, but they believe it is a
combination of genetics and environmental factors.
People with a 1st-degree relative with schizophrenia are
at increased risk of developing the condition.
For people genetically pre-disposed to developing SPD,
experiencing psychological trauma or chronic stress can
also increase the risk of symptoms emerging.
Causes of antisocial

Cause of antisocial personality disorder is unknown.

Genetic factors and environmental factors, such as child
abuse, are believed to contribute to the development of this
condition.

People with an antisocial or alcoholic parent are at

increased risk. Far more men than women are affected. The
condition is common among people who are in prison.

Fire-setting and cruelty to animals during childhood are

linked to the development of antisocial personality.
Causes of borderline disorder

As with other mental health disorders, the causes of

borderline personality disorder aren't fully understood. In
addition to environmental factors — such as a history of
child abuse or neglect — borderline personality disorder
may be linked to:

 Genetics. Some studies of twins and families suggest

that personality disorders may be inherited or strongly
associated with other mental health disorders among
family members.
 Brain abnormalities.

 Some research has shown changes in certain areas of the

brain involved in emotion regulation, impulsivity and aggression.

In addition, certain brain chemicals that help regulate mood, such

as serotonin, may not function properly.

Causes of dependence personality disorder
Indeed, environmental factors, particularly dysfunctional
relationships that interfere with healthy development, are believed to
have a profound impact on the development of dependent
personality disorder. These include:
 Attachment disruption: Lack of secure attachment in childhood
 due to inconsistent parenting, abuse, neglect, or other trauma
may compromise one’s ability to form a stable sense of self,
an internal sense of safety, secure attachments to other
people, and “a healthy balance between independence and
closeness to others.” The symptoms of DPD could then reflect
the effects of attachment injury and be a manifestation of
disordered attachment approaches.
Authoritative or overprotective parenting:

Authoritative or overprotective parenting may deprive one of

opportunities to practice emotional and behavioral independence

and self-reliance. Even rooted in good intentions, these parenting

styles can cause children to develop a high level of anxiety, an

unhealthy dependence on others to make decisions for them, and

an inability to trust their own thoughts, feelings, and abilities,

leading to profound feelings of helplessness.

 Families in which disobedience leads to the withholding
of love, affection, or care may also serve as triggering
environments for DPD.
 Inappropriate or absent rewards: Behavioral and
social learning theory holds that our personalities are
formed via conditioning and reinforcement. In other
words, we learn how to be in the world through our
interactions with other people and by observing how
our own behaviors are received by others. Some
researchers believe that both children who are
rewarded for demanding high levels of care and those
who are never rewarded for autonomy may be
What Causes Histrionic Personality Disorder?

The exact cause of histrionic personality disorder is not

known, but many mental health professionals believe that
inherited factors play a role in its development.

However, the child of a parent with this disorder might

simply be repeating learned behavior.

Other environmental factors that might be involved include a

lack of criticism or punishment as a child, positive reinforcement
that is given only when a child completes certain approved
behaviors, and unpredictable attention given to a child by his or
her parent, all leading to confusion about what types of behavior
earn parental approval.
 Narcissistic personality disorder

There is not a single defined cause of narcissistic personality

disorder. But, researchers agree that both genetic and

environmental causes are at play.

Individuals with narcissistic personality disorder have been

found to have less volume of gray matter in the left anterior

insula, the part of the brain related to empathy, emotional

regulation, compassion, and cognitive functioning.

. Examples of types of negative or destructive interpersonal

environments interacting with developmental phases include:

 Being born with an oversensitive temperament

 Learning manipulative behavior from parents or peers

 Being excessively praised for good behaviors and excessively

criticized for bad behaviors

 Suffering from severe childhood abuse

 Inconsistent parental care giving – unreliable or unpredictable

care

 Being overindulged by parents, peers, or family members

 Receiving excessive praise from parents or others over your looks

or abilities
Causes Avoidant Personality Disorder?
Researchers don’t completely understand what causes
avoidance personality disorder, but they believe it is a
combination of genetics and environmental factors.

Early childhood experiences may be linked to the

development of AVPD. Research suggests that children who
see their caregivers as lacking in affection and
encouragement and/or experience rejection from them may
be at increased risk.
So are children who experience abuse, neglect,
and an overall lower level of care. In response to
these experiences, children may avoid socializing
with others as a coping strategy.
Causes of OCPD

Doctors do not know exactly what causes a person to have

OCPD. However, they have some theories:

 Genetic factors may play a role in the development of

OCPD. If a person has a close family member with the
condition, they may be more likely to have it.

 A person may have had a childhood with very controlling

or protective parents or caregivers.
 People whose parents or caregivers were often

unavailable may also have an increased risk of OCPD.

However, a person may have OCPD without any of the

above factors as causes

DIAGNOSIS

Borderline Personality
Disorder