 Personality
disorder is a common diagnosis, yet one that is also stigmatising.
It is often associated with therapeutic nihilism and used as a
justification for avoiding hospital admission. However, there is a
substantial body of research pointing to the inferior treatment
response and poorer prognosis of mental state disorders, such as
depression or schizophrenia, associated with co-occurring
personality disorder. It is thus crucially important that a
diagnosis of personality disorder is made with the greatest of
caution, carrying, as it does, major therapeutic
implications.
This module will present information on the
prevalence of personality disorder in a variety of clinical
settings as well as in the general population. It will also detail
the common pitfalls of assessment and offer assistance in
overcoming these.
Finally, the reader will be introduced to questionnaires and
interview schedules that are used in diagnosing personality
disorder.
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