Compare and Contrast Types of Personality Disorders Written Assignment 5: Compare and Contrast Types of Personality Disorders and Identifying the Three Clusters into Which Most Personality Disorders are Grouped By: Keturah Albright Abnormal Psychology HDV-284074-01X-10FA2 Professor/ Instructor: Jonathan Gibralter Compare and Contrast Types of Personality Disorders Personality disorder is defined as, gradual development of inflexible and distorted personality and behavioral patterns that result in persistently maladaptive ways of perceiving, thinking about, and relating to the world. p. 431Butcher, James N. ) It is important to understand the meaning of personality disorder, in order to properly diagnosing a person. Society tends to place this label on individuals who they feel display characteristics resembling a “personality disorder’. There are three clusters in which personality disorders are placed in. Cluster A: Consists of paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal personality disorders. People with these disorders often seem odd or eccentric, with unusual behavior ranging from distrust and suspicious to social detachment.
Cluster B: Includes histrionic, narcissistic, antisocial, and borderline personality disorders. Individuals with these disorders share a tendency to be dramatic, emotional, and erratic. Cluster C: Includes avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders. In Contrast to the other two clusters, people with these disorders often show anxiety and fearlessness. (p 342, Butcher, James N. ) There are some ways in which these three clusters of personality disorders can be compared.
All three clusters have personality disorders that would have the person to focus on the needs of themselves and no one else, their needs come first and for most and they may feel justified by their actions. Most of these individuals are said to suffer from, “chronic interpersonal difficulties and problems with one’s identity or sense of self. ”(p. 341, Butcher, James N. )All three clusters of personality disorders tend to have individuals who lack the ability to function normally in society on a consistent basis.
All three clusters mentally have a great false sense of reality that causes them to act in a defensive/protective manner. As well as most of the clusters have symptomatic impulsive behavior. Commonly all three clusters can be treated with some type of therapy. There are also contrasting behavior that defines the different clusters. Cluster A: Feels as though others are mistreating them or taking advantage of them, while Cluster B: bring about physical harm to others with no remorse.
Cluster C: Has a need for others to take a lead role in there life for major things, while Cluster B: Seeks to exploit others. Also, Cluster A: Has odd believes and magical thinking that they take confidence in, and Cluster B: Has a fear of being left alone to fend for themselves. In all there are things that can be compared and contrasted with Clusters: A, B, and C, but the main thing to understand is that all of them are real personality disorders that with the proper guidance can be managed with some type of therapy (and depending on the severity, medication as well).
Personality disorders if not properly diagnosed could cause great harm to the individual as well as the society in which they live. Reference Butcher, James N. , Mineka, Susan and Hooley, Jill M. (2010). Abnormal Psychology. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon Abnormal Psychology, DVD 105, CDL Course 284074 http://emedicine. medscape. com/article/294307 [pic][pic][pic]