The Assessment and Treatment of Personality Disorders in People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Abstract

Knowledge about the assessment of personality disorder (PD) in people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) has improved significantly in the last 15 years. Guidelines have been developed starting with recommendations by Alexander and Cooray (2003) that informant information, observation, and interview should be employed in a convergent assessment. Specific considerations should be given to the features of IDD itself such as delay in perspective taking abilities. While initial research found widely differing prevalence of PD in people with IDD, more recent research following guidelines, has been more consistent. It has also been demonstrated that PD has an orderly relationship with the assessment of general personality and with emotional problems. Recent alterations in the assessment of PD in the general population have been found suitable for people with IDD and it has also been found that generic services for this population are suitable for those with IDD and PD.