1. Personality Disorders
Nicole Duranceaux, Ph.D.
Albuquerque Police Department
Behavioral Sciences Division
(505)

2. Personality Disorder General Diagnostic Criteria (DSM-IV-TR)
Enduring pattern of inner experience and behavior
Deviates markedly from expectations of the individual’s culture.
Pervasive and inflexible, same across contexts, situations
Significant distress or impairment in functioning
Emerges in childhood with established patterns by early adulthood
Stable over time
Not better accounted for by something else (e.g., drugs, other illness)

3. Personality Disorder General Diagnostic Criteria (cont.)
The pattern manifests itself in two (or more) of the following areas:
Thinking
Perceiving or interpreting self, others, events
Emotions
Range, intensity, lability, or appropriateness
Interpersonal functioning
How someone gets along with others
Impulse control
Ability to control automatic thoughts and impulses.
12/6/2018

4. 10 Recognized Personality Disorders
Paranoid Personality Disorder
Severe distrust, suspiciousness
Others’ motives are interpreted as malevolent, destructive
Schizoid Personality Disorder
Detachment from social relationships, restricted range of emotion
Generally emotionally cold and distant
Schizotypal Personality Disorder
Social and interpersonal deficits
Marked by acute discomfort in close relationships
Cognitive and perceptual distortions, and eccentricities of behavior
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5. 10 Recognized Personality Disorders (cont.)
Antisocial Personality Disorder
Disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others
Borderline Personality Disorder
Instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image, affect, and marked impulsivity
Histrionic Personality Disorder
Excessive emotionality, attention seeking; strong need to be the center of attention—drama seeker by nature
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Grandiosity, self-involvement, need for admiration, lack of empathy Believes that they are more special then other people.
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6. 10 Personality Disorders (cont.)
Avoidant Personality Disorder
Social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, and hypersensitivity to negative evaluation
Avoids contact to prevent rejection.
Dependent Personality Disorder
Submissive and clinging behavior related to an excessive need to be taken care of
Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder
Preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and control
Obtains a sense of control through lists, attention to details, routines, and superstition
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7. The Most Encountered Personality Disorders by Law Enforcement are:
Antisocial
Borderline
Paranoid
Dependent
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8. Antisocial Personality Disorder
Disregard for and violation of the rights of others since age 15, as indicated by 3 or more of the following:
Does not conform to social norms regarding lawful behaviors; has repeated arrests;
Deceitful; lying; has aliases; conning people for profit or pleasure
Impulsive; fails to plan ahead;
Irritable and aggressive; repeated assaults/fights;
Reckless disregard for the safety of others;
Consistent irresponsibility with work and finances;
Lack of remorse; is indifferent; rationalizes away bad behavior.
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9. Antisocial Personality Disorder (cont.)
Occurs in 3% of males and 1% of females
Commit more crimes as well as more crimes of any type
Not likely to benefit much from rehabilitation
Likely to reoffend in some way
Often appear normal (wear a “mask of sanity”)
Know the words of emotion, but not the music
25 – 50% of kids with “conduct disorder” diagnoses get an antisocial personality disorder diagnosis as adults
Tend to “burn out” late in life
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10. Borderline Personality Disorder
Instability (relationships, self image), marked impulsivity beginning in early adulthood, and is evident in a variety of contexts, as indicated by 5 or more of the following:
Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment;
Pattern of unstable, intense interpersonal relationships, extremes of idealization to devaluation;
Identity disturbance; markedly and persistently unstable self image or sense of self;
Impulsivity in 2 areas that are potentially self-damaging—spending, sex, substance abuse, reckless driving, binge eating;
Recurrent suicidal behavior;
Affective instability; reactivity of mood;
Chronic feelings of emptiness;
Inappropriate, intense, poorly controlled anger; recurrent fighting;
Transient, stress-related paranoid ideation, or severe dissociation.
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11. Borderline Personality Disorder (cont.)
Approximately 2% of the population
75% of those with the diagnosis are women
8 – 10% Commit SUICIDE
Poor response to treatment (historically)
May have multiple diagnoses: e.g., substance abuse, depression, eating disorders, PTSD
Have very poor personal boundaries
They are often attractive and intelligent
WATCH OUT: very often attracted to cops!!!
12/6/2018

12. Paranoid Personality Disorder
Pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of others; motives are interpreted as malevolent; beginning in early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by 4 or more of the following:
Suspects, without sufficient basis, that others are exploiting, harming, or deceiving him
Preoccupied with unjustified doubts about the loyalty of friends
Reluctant to confide in others, fearing information will be used against him
Reads hidden demeaning or threatening meanings into benign remarks or events
Persistently bears grudges; very unforgiving
Perceives attacks on his character that are not apparent to others; reacts quickly and angrily to counterattack
Has recurrent suspicions regarding fidelity of spouse or partner
INCIDENCE: 2 – 5% of the population
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13. Dependent Personality Disorder
A pervasive, excessive need to be taken care; submissive and clinging behavior, fears of separation, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by 5 or more of the following:
Has difficulty making everyday decisions without excessive advice and reassurance from others
Needs others to assume responsibility for most major areas of his life
Has difficulty expressing disagreement with others
Has difficulty initiating projects, or doing things on his own
Goes to excessive lengths to obtain nurturance and support
Feels uncomfortable or helpless when alone
Urgently seeks another relationship, when a close relationship ends
Is unrealistically preoccupied with fears of being left alone to take care of himself
INCIDENCE: Unknown; among the most frequently reported Personality Disorders encountered in mental health clinics.
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14. Psychopathy or Sociopathy
More intense version of Antisocial Personality Disorder
Limited to no regard for others’ needs
Highly impulsive and parasitic
Superficially charming, glib, and conning
Limited ability to have healthy, non-exploitive relationships
Intense need for stimulation
Self-centered and self-involved
Irresponsible with little-to-no guilt, remorse for past wrongs
Criminally versatile
Poor behavior controls
Typically very dangerous
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15. Psychopathy Characteristics (1)
Glibness, charm
Exaggerated self worth
Need for stimulation
Pathological lying
Manipulation
Lack of remorse
Shallow affect
Callousness
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16. Psychopathy Characteristics (2)
Parasitic lifestyle
Aggressive
Promiscuous
Early behavior problems
Lack of realistic goals
Impulsive
Irresponsible
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17. Psychopathy Characteristics (3)
Failure to accept blame
Several short-term marital relationships
Revocation of conditional release
Criminal versatility
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