Summary and Self-Test: Personality Disorders
Summary
Our personalities reflect our characteristic manner of thinking, feeling, behaving and relating to others. Personality traits are integral to a person’s sense of self.
While there are many theories of personality, one of the most well researched is the Five Factor Model, which organizes literally hundreds of traits into five broad dimensions: Neuroticism/Emotional Stability, Extraversion/Introversion, Openness/Closedness, Agreeableness/Antagonism, and Conscientiousness/Disinhibition.
When personality traits result in significant distress, social impairment, and/or occupational impairment, they might be considered to be a personality disorder. Personality disorders are characterized by a pervasive, consistent, and enduring pattern of behaviour and internal experience that differs significantly from that which is usually expected in the individual’s culture.
Personality disorders typically have an onset in adolescence or early adulthood, persist over time, and cause distress or impairment.
Each of the 10 personality disorders is a constellation of maladaptive personality traits, not one particular trait. In this regard, they are syndromes. These can be mapped onto the Five Factor Model.
The personality disorders are grouped into 3 clusters, based on their predominant symptoms. Cluster A personality disorders involve odd or eccentric thinking or behaviour (paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal personality disorder). Cluster B personality disorders are marked by dramatic, overly emotional, or unpredictable thinking or behaviour (antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic personality disorder). Cluster C personality disorders involve anxious, fearful thinking or behaviour (avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder.
The validity of personality disorders is an issue of controversy.
Personality disorders are generally ego syntonic, meaning that people are largely comfortable with themselves and their personality serves them well.
One personality disorder for which we have a well developed treatment is borderline personality disorder, which is treated with Dialectical Behaviour Therapy.
Cognitive Therapy can also be used to treat personality disorders.
Personality disorders are among the most difficult to treat disorders, because they involve well-established behaviours that are integral to a client’s self-image.
Application to Social Service Work Practice
-One of the ways social service workers can support people living with personality disorders is to help them learn skills to manage powerful emotions. Emotional regulation includes understanding the functions and reasons why a person has emotions as well as learning to tolerate distressing emotions.
-There can be a lot of stigma and judgements towards people living with personality disorders due to the struggles, behaviors, and symptomology. It is important to look at the person separate from their symptoms, behaviors and struggles (Try to find empathy and compassion).
-As a social service worker, boundary setting with clients living with personality disorders can be important. This might mean setting boundaries around times and modes of contact with clients.
Reflections
-What is one thing you learned from this chapter that you feel you can apply to your work as an social service worker?
-What is something you would like to know more of when it comes to working with people living with personality disorders?
Self-Test
Link: https://openpress.usask.ca/abnormalpsychology/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php?action=h5p_embed&id=13
