Personality Disorders Personality disorders can arise through trauma, and they often carry added stigma. In this Discussion, you analyze a case study focused on a personality disorder while also reflecting on how power, privilege, and stigma affect such diagnoses
Week 11: Personality Disorders
With personality disorders, the symptoms are woven familiarly (and often comfortably identified as ego syntonic) into a person’s overall sense of themselves, usually appearing in late adolescence. One of the key differences in diagnosis, then, is that instead of considering illness within a short-term period (of a year or less), social workers have to instead focus on a long timeline.
Of course, social workers still go through all the steps of a decision tree in making a personality disorder diagnosis. This method ensures that the symptoms are not better explained by another disorder or merged with more acute problems. If there is an acute diagnosis, clinicians should address that condition before giving a personality disorder diagnosis, especially if the client is new to treatment. Clients do not seek treatment for a personality disorder but will seek treatment for the acute disorders. All disorders must be diagnosed.
This week you analyze a case study involving a personality disorder diagnosis and consider how power and privilege play into this diagnosis.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Analyze a case study focused on a personality disorder utilizing steps of differential diagnosis
Analyze how power, privilege, and stigma affect diagnosis of personality disorders
Learning Resources
Required Readings
Morrison, J. (2014). Diagnosis made easier (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Chapter 16, “Diagnosing Personality and Relationship Problems” (pp. 251–270)
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Personality disorders. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.).
Cicchetti, D. (2014). Illustrative developmental psychopathology perspectives on precursors and pathways to personality disorder: Commentary on the special issue. Journal of Personality Disorders, 28(1), 172–179. doi:10.1521/pedi.2014.28.1.172
Ferguson, A. (2016). Borderline personality disorder and access to services: A crucial social justice issue. Australian Social Work, 69(2), 206–214. doi:10.1080/0312407X.2015.1054296
Required Media
Accessible player
Walden University, LLC. (Producer). (2018e). Psychopathology and diagnosis for social work practice podcast: Personality disorders [Audio podcast]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Optional Resources
Howard, R., & Khalifa, N. (2016). Is emotional impulsiveness (urgency) a core feature of severe personality disorder? Personality and Individual Differences, 92, 29–32. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2015.12.017
Donatone, B. (2016). The Coraline effect: The misdiagnosis of personality disorders in college students who grew up with a personality disordered parent. Journal of College Student Psychotherapy, 30(3), 187–196. doi:10.1080/87568225.2016.1177432
Discussion: Personality Disorders
Personality disorders can arise through trauma, and they often carry added stigma. In this Discussion, you analyze a case study focused on a personality disorder while also reflecting on how power, privilege, and stigma affect such diagnoses.
To prepare: Review the case provided by your instructor for this week’s Discussion and consider your differential diagnostic process for them. Be sure to consider any past diagnoses and what influence those might have on their current diagnosis and needs. Finally, return to the Week 1 resources on stigma and reflect on stigma related to personality disorders.
By Day 4
Post a 300- to 500-word response in which you address the following:
Provide the full DSM-5-TR diagnosis. Remember, a full diagnosis should include the name of the disorder, ICD-10-CM code, specifiers, severity, and the Z codes (other conditions that may need clinical attention). Keep in mind a diagnosis covers the most recent 12 months.
Explain the diagnosis by matching the symptoms identified in the case to the specific criteria for the diagnosis.
Support your decision by identifying the symptoms which meet specific criteria for each diagnosis.
Identify any close differentials and why they were eliminated. Concisely support your decisions with the case materials and readings.
Explain how diagnosing a client with a personality disorder may affect their treatment.
Analyze how power and privilege may influence who is labeled with a personality disorder and which types of personality disorders.
Identify how trauma affects the case, either precipitating the diagnosis and/or resulting from related symptoms or treatment of diagnosis
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