This book explains the personality disorders and their treatment in terms of a broad biopsychosocial model.

First published in 2001. This is Volume 7 in a series of ten on the Science of Mental Health. One of the most challenging areas of behavioral research is the study of personality and personality disorders. The main challenge can be stated directly: it is difficult to know with certainty which personality traits are fundamental and which are complex elaborations of fundamental traits. This is a collection of works under the sections of Description, Epidemiology, Genes and Environment, Peers and Neighborhoods, Neurobiology and Behavior and Treatment.

A revision of the leading textbook on personality disorders by renowned expert Theodore Millon "Personalities are like impressionistic paintings. At a distance, each person is 'all of a piece'; up close, each is a bewildering complexity of moods, cognitions, and motives." -Theodore Millon Exploring the continuum from normal personality traits to the diagnosis and treatment of severe cases of personality disorders, Personality Disorders in Modern Life, Second Edition is unique in its coverage of both important historical figures and contemporary theorists in the field. Its content spans all the major disorders-Antisocial, Avoidant, Depressive, Compulsive, Histrionic, Narcissistic, Paranoid, Schizoid, and Borderline-as well as their many subtypes. Attention to detail and in-depth discussion of the subtleties involved in these debilitating personality disorders make this book an ideal companion to the DSM-IV(TM). Fully updated with the latest research and theory, this important text features: Discussion of the distinctive clinical features and developmental roots of personality disorders Balanced coverage of the major theoretical perspectives-biological, psychodynamic, interpersonal, cognitive, and evolutionary Individual chapters on all DSM-IV(TM) personality disorders and their several subtypes and mixtures Case studies throughout the text that bring to life the many faces of these disorders Including a new assessment section that singles out behavioral indicators considered to have positive predictive power for the disorders, this Second Edition also includes a special focus on developmental, gender, and cultural issues specific to each disorder. A comprehensive reference suitable for today's practitioners, Personality Disorders in Modern Life, Second Edition features a clear style that also makes it a valuable resource for advanced undergraduate and graduate students. The most thorough book of its kind, this Second Edition is a powerful, practical resource for all trainees and professionals in key mental health fields, such as psychology, social work, and nursing.

Details each of the 10 personality disorders, in a format that makes locating information easy. Personality Disorders systematically explores 10 personality disorders. Each chapter presents a comprehensive and in-depth picture of a particular disorder and its effects, not only on those who suffer from it but also on family, friends, and colleagues as well as the community at large. Chapters focus on important parameters such as symptoms, diagnosis, incidence, history, development, causes, effects, and costs. Relevant case histories and Up Close sections illustrate how the disorder may manifest in different environments and reveal how the disorder can affect a person's interactions within society, at work, and in personal relationships. Research and theories about each particular disorder are also included. Every chapter closes with a discussion of various treatment approaches and a brief list of references, providing for a meaningful presentation for readers at the undergraduate student level and beyond.

This text provides a summary of the latest information concerning the diagnosis, assessment, construct validity, etiology, pathology, and treatment of personality disorders. It brings together leading scholars, researchers, and clinicians from a wide variety of theoretical perspectives, emphasizing in each case extent of empirical support.

Personality pathology, which is characterized by a pervasive, maladaptive, and inflexible pattern of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, has long been considered a set of categories that are distinct from each other and from "normal" personality. Research over the past three decades, however, has challenged that assumed separation, and instead suggests that abnormal personality is merely a maladaptive extension of the same features that describe the personalities of all humans. Using Basic Personality Research to Inform the Personality Disorders will present the work of prominent thinkers at the intersections of social, personality, developmental, and clinical psychology to consider theoretical and empirical issues relevant to how basic personality research can inform the scientific understanding of personality pathology. Surveying cutting-edge research on the science of basic personality and demonstrating how these ideas and methods can be applied to the conceptualization of pathology, the book first provides a historical overview, followed by an account of the current state of the personality disorder literature. Ensuing chapters highlight critical issues in the assessment and conceptualization of personality, its development across the life course, and biological underpinnings. These chapters are valuable primers on the basic science of personality, from specific genes to complex social interactions. Furthermore, each chapter aims not only to elucidate current understandings of personality, but to demonstrate its direct application to clinical diagnosis and conceptualization. Using Basic Personality Research to Inform the Personality Disorders is the first edited volume to present such diverse perspectives across biological, developmental, clinical, and social psychology from leading researchers in basic and disordered personality, and will be of interest to a broad range of students, scientists, and practitioners.

Presents the evidence-base for links between personality traits, psychological functioning, personality disorder and violence - with a focus on assessment and treatment approaches that will help clinicians to assess risk in this client group. An evidence-based examination of those personality traits and types of psychological functioning that may contribute to personality disorder and violence- and the links that can be made between the two Each chapter tackles an area of personality or psychological functioning and includes a developmental perspective, discussion of how to gauge risk, and an outline of effective treatments Traits covered include impulsivity, aggressiveness, narcissism and the ‘Big Five’ - neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness New for the prestigious Wiley Series in Forensic Clinical Psychology, a market leader with more than 20,000 books in print

In recent years, the assumption that there is a significant connection between normal psychological and biological differences and the development of psychological disorders has grown and research in this area has developed rapidly. This textbook, written by internationally known psychologists with expertise in both the areas of abnormal and differential psychology, aims to integrate evidence and idea from healthy personality and temperament on the one hand and psychological disorders on the other. This is achieved by viewing personality traits as predispositions to disorder, and by questioning how far the causes of various disorders can be seen as an extension or exaggeration of processes underlying normal personality or temperament. These main themes are discussed using a biological perspective, i.e., based on the theory that personality can be deconstructed into a number of basic dimensions (of biological origin) that also act as vulnerability factors for disorder. This is a second-level textbook for undergraduate students of psychology, but will also be recommended for health professionals and their trainees, psychiatrists, clinical psychologists and nurses.

This work provides a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between cultural variables - ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation - and personality disorders, for example, antisocial, borderline, dependent, histrionic and narcissistic. It examines how cultural variables can effect the conceptualization, epidemiology, and treatment of personality disorders.