Articles tagged with Personality Disorders
A recent study found that combining behavioral therapy with medication is more effective in treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) than using medication alone. The treatment combination resulted in significant improvements in social functioning and quality of life, even when initiated after 3-9 months of medication treatment.
A study found that clinicians' personal theories significantly impact diagnoses of mental disorders, with central symptoms leading to more accurate diagnoses. The researchers suggest that expert theorizing can be idiosyncratic and lead to conflicting diagnoses due to a lack of understanding of the underlying causes of mental disorders.
Research suggests that personality disorders change over time, with certain traits increasing in severity as individuals age. A 12-year follow-up study found that anxious and obsessive personality traits became more pronounced in patients, while flamboyant tendencies decreased.
A systematic review of prison populations in 12 Western countries found that prisoners were two to four times more likely to have psychosis and major depression, and about ten times more likely to have antisocial personality disorder. This suggests that mental health issues among prisoners may require increased attention and treatment.
A systematic review in The Lancet estimates that six people would need to be detained for a year to prevent one violent act, raising concerns about the accuracy of forecasting dangerousness. Critics warn that this approach threatens to assume an Orwellian air, with psychiatry becoming increasingly coercive.
Researchers found that medical school applicants with narcissistic personality disorder are more likely to engage in unethical behavior. The study suggests that screening out these individuals could minimize the risk of disasters like the Shipman murders.
A new screening procedure developed at Cornell University Medical College reliably identified persons with personality pathology using a self-administered true-false questionnaire. The test was then confirmed or discounted through a follow-up interview with a professional clinician.