RECOGNIZING COMORBID PERSONALITY DISORDER CAN HELP MANAGE AND TREAT THE “UNTREATABLE”

Abstract

Personality disorder is surprisingly prevalent. Clinical syndromes accompanied by personality disorder tend to be more severe, more treatment resistant, and more likely to recur than their counterparts. Learning to recognize personality disorder can enhance the efficacy of the clinician's management style and his or her ability to make appropriate plans for long-term psychotherapy. To assist diagnosis of personality disorder according to the DSM-IV, the authors present interpersonal descriptions and necessary and exclusionary conditions.