16.2

Six Types of Personality Disorder

Personality Disorder

Defining Characteristics

Antisocial personality disorder

Lack of empathy; disregard for others’ feelings, rights, and safety; manipulative, callous, and often hostile personality traits.

Avoidant personality disorder

Feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem; preoccupation with the prospect of negative evaluation by others; behavior is withdrawn, shy, and inhibited.

Borderline personality disorder

Unstable sense of self, unstable relationships, and unstable emotional life; feelings of abandonment and concern about being rejected by others.

Narcissistic personality disorder

Excessively self-centered; opinions of self are highly positive yet also “fragile”; people crave the attention of others who support their grandiose sense of self.

Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder

Perfectionism, a desire for order and control over activities, and rigid adherence to rules; devotion to work may impair personal relationships.

Schizotypal personality disorder

Odd, eccentric patterns of thinking or behavior, combined with social isolation resulting from an inability to form close personal relationships with people outside of immediate family.