Transcript Dependent Personality Disorder

Dependent
Personality
Disorder
Michelle Cifuentes
Period 5
Dependent Personality Disorder
Dependent personality
disorder is characterized
by a long-standing need
for a person to be taken
care of and a fear of being
abandoned or separated
from important individuals
in his or her life.
Associated Features
 People with this disorder do not trust their own ability
to make decisions.
 They may be very upset by separation and loss, and go
to great lengths, even suffering abuse, to stay in a
relationship.
 They take criticism and disapproval as proof of their
worthlessness and lose faith in themselves.
 They may seek overprotection and dominance from
others.
Associated Features
DSM-IV- TR Critria
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fourth
edition, DSM IV-TR, a widely used manual for diagnosing mental
disorders, defines dependant personality disorder as at least five of the
following (in Axis II Cluster C) as:
1.has difficulty making everyday decisions without an excessive amount
of advice and reassurance from others
2.needs others to assume responsibility for most major areas of his or
her life
3.has difficulty expressing disagreement with others because of fear of
loss of support or approval. Note: do not include realistic fears of
retribution.
4.has difficulty initiating projects or doing things on his or her own
(because of a lack of self-confidence in judgment or abilities rather than
a lack of motivation or energy)
Associated Features
5. goes to excessive lengths to obtain nurturance and support from others, to
the point of volunteering to do things that are unpleasant
6. feels uncomfortable or helpless when alone because of exaggerated fears
of being unable to care for himself or herself
7. urgently seeks another relationship as a source of care and support when
a close relationship ends
8. is unrealistically preoccupied with fears of being left to take care of himself
or herself
It is a requirement of DSM-IV that a diagnosis of any specific personality
disorder also satisfies a set of general personality disorder criteria.
Etiology
There are no sure causes about DPD but there are theories
about the possible causes of dependent personality
disorder:
 Biopsychosocial perspective:
 biological and genetic factors
 social factors (such as how a person interacts in their
early development with their family and friends and
other children)
 psychological factors (the individual's personality and
temperament, shaped by their environment and learned
coping skills to deal with stress)
Etiology Continued..
 No single factor is responsible
.
 It is the complex and likely intertwined nature of all
three factors that are important.
 If a person has this personality disorder, research suggests
that there is a slightly increased risk for this disorder to be
"passed down" to their children
Psychological
Biological
Social
Prevalence
DPD is one of the most
frequently diagnosed personality
disorders.
 It appears to occur equally in
men and women, and usually
appears in early to middle
adulthood
Treatment
 Psychotherapy
Treatment of dependent
personality disorder typically
involves long-term
psychotherapy with a
therapist that has experience
in treating this kind of
personality disorder.
 Pharmacotherapy
Medications may also be
prescribed to help with
specific troubling and
debilitating symptoms.
Prognosis
Course or Outcome:
 People with DPD are at risk for depression, anxiety
disorders, and phobias, as well as substance abuse.
 They are also at risk for being abused because they
are willing to do anything to maintain their relationships
with their caregivers.
Chances of improvement, manageability, or recovery:
 With treatment, many people with DPD can
experience some improvement in symptoms.
Reference
Halgin, R.P, & Whitbourne, S.K. (2005) Abnormal psychology: clinical
perspectives on psychological disorders. New York, NY: McGraw Hill
IBM.(2011). Dependent Personality Disorder - PubMed Health.” Retrieved from
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001937/
IBM. (2010). Dependent Personality Disorder. Retrieved from http://
www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/guide/dependent-personality-disorder?
page=2.
Staff, P.C. (2010) Dependent Personality Disorder - Psych Central. Retrieved
from http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx13.htm.
Discussion Question
If DPD is viewed from the biopsychosocial perspective,
discuss the significance of social interactions within society for
DPD.