PSYC 3390 Chapter 11: Chapter 11.docx

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 3390
• Professor: Mary Manson- Hennig

Document Summary

Individual"s personality-the set of unique traits and behaviours that characterize the individual. Personality disorders were formerly known by psychodynamic theorists as character disorders. These disorders stem largely from the gradual development of inflexible and distorted personality and behavioural patterns - that result in persistently maladaptive ways of perceiving, thinking about, and relating to the world. Major stressful life events early in life also help set the stage for the development of these inflexible and distorted personality patterns. Epidemiological studies in canada are few, but in an american study of 214 adults, 9. 1 % was found to suffer from personality disorders. But they can fit into both axis i and ii -> most people with personality disorders also have anxiety, mood disorders etc. as well. One problem is that diagnostic criteria for personality disorders are not as sharply defined as for most axis i diagnostic categories, so they are often not very precise or easy to follow in practice.