PERSONALITY

DISORDERS

Dr. Elizabeth Magdalena A. Santos

Clusters of Personality Disorders
 A – odd and eccentric:
Paranoid, Schizoid, Schizotypal

 B – dramatic, emotional, and erratic

Antisocial, Borderline,
Histrionic, Narcissistic

 C – anxious and fearful

Avoidant, Dependent, Obsessive-Compulsive
NOS (Passive-Aggressive, Depressive)
 Etiology

GENETIC FACTORS
- concordance among monozygotic twins >
dizygotic twins
- reared apart = reared together
- similarities:
temperament, interests, social attitudes
Cluster A
more common in relatives of schizophrenic
patients than in control groups

Schizotypal PD
occur more in family histories of
schizophrenic patients than in control groups

Less correlation between

Paranoid or Schizoid PD
and schizophrenia
 Antisocial PD
associated with alcohol use disorders

 Depression common in family backgrounds

Borderline PD patients

 Borderline PD
have more relatives with mood disorders
than do control groups

 Histrionic PD strong association with

somatization disorder
 Avoidant PD often have high anxiety levels

 Obsessive-Compulsive traits are more

common in monozygotic twins
than in dizygotic twins

 OCPD patients show some signs of

depression:
 Shortened REM latency period
 Abnormal DST results
BIOLOGICAL FACTORS
 Impulsive traits-

high level of testosterone,

17-estradio, and estrone
abnormal DST results with Borderline PD
 College students with low platelet MAO levels

report spending more time in social

activities than students with high platelet
MAO levels.
 Low platelet MAO levels

noted in Schizotypal PD
 Smooth pursuit eye movements are
saccadic in:
introverted persons,
low self-esteem and tend to withdraw
Schizotypal PD

 Neurotransmitters
Studies show an arousal activating function of
dopaminergic and serotonergic systems
Raising serotonin levels produce dramatic changes
Increased dopamine can induce euphoria
PSYCHOANALYTIC FACTORS
 Sigmund Freud
Personality traits are related to a fixation at one
psychosexual stage of development
oral stage – passive and dependent
anal stage – stubborn , highly conscientious

 Wilheim Reich
character armor – defensive styles
protect from internal impulses and from
interpersonal anxiety in significant relationships
 Contemporary concepts of personality and
personality disorders

unique stamp of personality is largely determined

by characteristic defense mechanisms

cluster of defenses help psychodynamic clinicians

recognize the type of character pathology present

effective defense leads to mastery of negative

feelings of anxiety, depression, anger, shame,
guilt, and other affects