Evaluating Personality vs. Other Disorders
- When you’re evaluating for personality disorders, how is your approach different than what you would use with other suspected disorders?
Approach to Evaluating Personality Disorders vs. Other Suspected Disorders
When evaluating personality disorders (PDs), the approach differs significantly from evaluating other suspected mental health disorders, such as mood disorders, anxiety disorders, or psychotic disorders. The nature of personality disorders—characterized by long-standing, pervasive patterns of behavior, thoughts, and emotions—requires a distinct approach to assessment. Here’s how the approach differs:
1. Focus on Long-Term Patterns
- Personality Disorders: Assessment focuses on long-term, consistent patterns of behavior, thoughts, and emotional responses that are pervasive and inflexible across different situations and over time. These behaviors typically begin in adolescence or early adulthood.
- Key Consideration: The clinician evaluates whether the symptoms are chronic and affect the individual’s functioning in multiple areas (e.g., social, occupational, interpersonal)…
Approach to Evaluating Personality Disorders vs. Other Suspected Disorders
When evaluating personality disorders (PDs), the approach differs significantly from evaluating other suspected mental health disorders, such as mood disorders, anxiety disorders, or psychotic disorders. The nature of personality disorders—characterized by long-standing, pervasive patterns of behavior, thoughts, and emotions—requires a distinct approach to assessment. Here’s how the approach differs:
1. Focus on Long-Term Patterns
- Personality Disorders: Assessment focuses on long-term, consistent patterns of behavior, thoughts, and emotional responses that are pervasive and inflexible across different situations and over time. These behaviors typically begin in adolescence or early adulthood.
- Key Consideration: The clinician evaluates whether the symptoms are chronic and affect the individual’s functioning in multiple areas (e.g., social, occupational, interpersonal)…
Approach to Evaluating Personality Disorders vs. Other Suspected Disorders
When evaluating personality disorders (PDs), the approach differs significantly from evaluating other suspected mental health disorders, such as mood disorders, anxiety disorders, or psychotic disorders. The nature of personality disorders—characterized by long-standing, pervasive patterns of behavior, thoughts, and emotions—requires a distinct approach to assessment. Here’s how the approach differs:
1. Focus on Long-Term Patterns
- Personality Disorders: Assessment focuses on long-term, consistent patterns of behavior, thoughts, and emotional responses that are pervasive and inflexible across different situations and over time. These behaviors typically begin in adolescence or early adulthood.
- Key Consideration: The clinician evaluates whether the symptoms are chronic and affect the individual’s functioning in multiple areas (e.g., social, occupational, interpersonal)…
