Main description:

Studies reveal that nearly 10% of the adult population meet criteria for an official diagnosis of personality disorder. Personality disorders have been shown to be strongly influenced by biological and psychological factors, however, less attention has been paid to the social context of these disorders. Synthesizing over 25 years of research since the first edition, this book explores how certain social forces can amplify heritable traits into disorders. It considers these interactions in the framework of a broad biopsychosocial model. Chapters cover clinically important categories, including borderline, narcissistic, and antisocial personality, as well as topics such as modernity, exploring how rapid social change is acting as a major risk factor for these disorders. Concise, balanced, and evidence-based throughout, this important book offers a unique perspective and shows how this can inform treatment decisions for all mental health professionals. It will also be of interest to researchers in the social sciences.

Contents:

Part I. General Principles: 1. Personality disorders: The history of an idea; 2. Personality traits and personality disorders; Part II. Social Mechanisms: 3. Social content and personality; 4. Modernity and personality disorder; Part III. Specific Patterns of Disorder: 5. The borderline pattern; 6. The problem of narcissism; 7. Antisocial personality disorder; 8. Other personality disorders; Part IV. Models and Clinical Applications: 9. A biopsychosocial model of personality disorder; 10. Finding a niche.