Personality Disorders

Abstract

This edited book on personality disorders brings together well-known authors with diverse perspectives and varied theoretical orientations, to assist clinicians and researchers in their understanding and clinical care of patients with personality disorders. Section I provides an overview of the diagnosis, assessment, clinical, and research approaches to working with personality disorders. It reviews personality syndromes, levels of personality organization, pathways from trauma to personality disorders, and an integrated clinical and empirical approach to working with patients who have personality disorders. Section II reviews multi-theoretical approaches to treatment of personality disorders. It covers six evidenced-based treatments, management of personality disorders in medical settings, psychopharmacology, and group therapy. These diverse viewpoints help readers understand current theories about the origin and nature of the personality and apply this understanding to everyday care and treatment of patients. Section III covers 10 major specific personality disorders, written from diverse theoretical perspectives. It is chock full of clinical illustrations and the wisdom from master clinicians. This volume is up-to-date, evidence-based, and is accessible to all who are interested in understanding and treating patients with personality disorders. It will be useful to mental health students and professionals including: undergraduate college students; psychiatry, psychology, and social workers in training; and medical and mental health educators, practicing clinicians, researchers and faculty.