Respond to at least two of your colleagues’ postings in one or more of the following ways: Address a colleague’s analysis and evaluation of the topic(s

Respond to at least two of your colleagues’ postings in one or more of the following ways:

• Address a colleague’s analysis and evaluation of the topic(s).
• Expand or remark upon a colleague’s integration of relevant resources.
• Answer question(s) posed by your colleague for further discussion.
• Link a colleague’s posting to other postings or to course materials and concepts, where appropriate and relevant.
• Extend or constructively challenge your colleague’s work.
• Otherwise expand upon your colleagues’ postings.

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Identify the characteristics that could point to lifelong symptoms when a personality disorder is suspected.

When a personality disorder is suspected, the following characteristics may point to lifelong symptoms: early onset, enduring and pervasive patterns, chronic and persistent symptoms, impairment in functioning, negative self-concept, maladaptive coping mechanisms, lack of insight, rigid thinking and behavior, comorbid conditions, cultural and environmental factors, and difficulty with relationships. Personality disorders involve long-term, inflexible patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that deviate from cultural norms. Inflexible and maladaptive coping strategies often characterize personality disorders. Research has highlighted that maladaptive personality traits, such as those seen in Avoidant Personality Disorder, can lead to chronic patterns of avoidance and anxiety that persist over time (Lampe & Malhi, 2018). Symptoms typically emerge during adolescence or early childhood, with those symptoms causing significant distress or impairment in social, personal, or occupational functioning. Personality disorders frequently co-occur with other mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety disorders, and substance use disorders. This comorbidity can complicate treatment and lead to a more chronic course of treatment. Studies have shown that individuals with personality disorders often experience higher rates of psychiatric comorbidity, which can exacerbate their overall psychological distress and functional impairment (Buică et al., 2022).

When you’re evaluating for personality disorders, how is your approach different than what you would use with other suspected disorders? 

When evaluating personality disorders, the approach differs significantly from that used for other suspected mental health disorders due to the unique characteristics and diagnostic criteria associated with personality pathology. It differs because personality disorders involve enduring, pervasive patterns of behavior, cognition, and emotions rather than acute or episodic symptoms. The approach is different due to the focus on long-standing patterns versus acute symptoms, for example, and the evaluation emphasizes the identification of enduring patterns of behavior, cognition, and emotional responses that are pervasive across various contexts and situations. Personality disorders are assessed based on chronicity, pervasive maladaptivity, and independence from other disorders (Horácio et al., 2023). In practice, open-ended questions should be used to allow clients to describe patterns in their own words. Practitioners should carefully build rapport as clients with personality disorders may exhibit distrust or defensiveness during the evaluation process. By tailoring the evaluation to the chronicity, pervasiveness, and rigidity of symptoms, professionals distinguish personality disorders from other mental health conditions effectively.

References

Buică, A., Preda, D., Andrei, L., Stancu, M., Gică, N., & Rad, F. (2022). Maladaptive personality traits in a group of patients with substance use disorder and ADHD. Medicina, 58(7), 962. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina58070962Links to an external site.

Horácio, A. N., Bento, A., & Marques, J. G. (2023). Personality and attachment in the homeless: A systematic review. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 69(6), 1312-1326. https://doi.org/10.1177/00207640231161201Links to an external site.

Lampe, L. & Malhi, G. (2018). Avoidant personality disorder: Current insights. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, Volume 11, 55-66. https://doi.org/10.2147/prbm.s121073Links to an external site.

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Characteristics of Personality Disorders 

Personality Disorders are characterized by a pattern of thinking and behaving over the lifespan that deviate from societal norms and expectations (APA, 2022). Personality disorders have personality traits that are inflexible meaning once a personality disorder is diagnosed, an individual does not change. Disorders do not change, but aging lessens symptoms (Walden University, 2022). Those with personality disorders are ego syntonic meaning that the individual is comfortable with her ego or herself (APA, 2022). Individuals with personality disorders do not know how they impact others and do not recognize how their behaviors are odd or out of the norm. Clients are comfortable with the dysfunction, that they are not aware of it (Walden University, 2022). The opposite of ego syntonic is ego dystonic. In the lecture, Dr Rullo explained that those with Major Depression Disorder (MDD) are aware of their behaviors and know that there is something wrong that they must seek support for. This does not apply to those with personality disorders. 

Additionally, personality disorders consist of three clusters based on similarities with “cluster A” having odd behaviors, “cluster B” having dramatic behaviors, and “cluster C” having anxious behaviors. (APA, 2022). Cluster A consists of Paranoid Personality Disorder, Schizoid Personality Disorder, and Schizotypal Personality Disorder. Cluster B consists of Anti-Social Personality Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Histrionic Personality Disorder, and Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Cluster C contains Avoidant, Dependent, and Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder. 

Evaluation Approach with Personality Disorders 

When evaluating personality disorders, the approach differs from other mental disorders, because it is crucial to examine individual’s behaviors, thoughts, and patterns across the lifespan.  Personality Disorders are not diagnosed prior to the age of 18 (APA, 2022). The exception to this is Anti-Social Personality Disorder, where symptoms must have occurred since the age of 15. 

When evaluating other mental disorders, clinicians assess whether individuals meet the criterion based on symptoms and utilize specifiers, such as “recurrent” or “single” episode. Personality disorders are constant, inflexible, and rely on many clinical visits to determine a diagnosis. It is rare to diagnose a personality disorder after the initial intake (Walden University, 2022). 

References 

American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5-TR) (5th ed., text rev.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787 

Walden University, LLC. (2022). Personality disorders. [Interactive media]. Walden University Blackboard. https://waldenu.instructure.com