Personality disorder
What is a personality disorder?
Personality is the way of thinking, feeling and behaving that makes a person different from other people. Personality is influenced by experiences, environment, and inherited characteristics. A person’s personality typically stays the same over time. A personality disorder is a way of thinking, feeling and behaving that deviate from the expectations of the culture, causes distress or problems functioning, and lasts over time.
What are the benefits of assessment?
- Some people find being offered a diagnosis a great relief if they have suffered for a long time with behaviour they can’t control or understand. It can feel like you finally know where you are standing and have a platform to now work from.
- A diagnosis of a personality disorder can also help others understand you. Perhaps your family struggle to understand you, but now they have a reference to try, and they can seek support and information to improve their relationship with you.
- It can be a comfort to know there are others out there who suffer in the same way they do and who might see the world like they do. A diagnosis can help you find information you need and seek appropriate interventions and supports.
What are the tests used for assessments?
Picton Psychology provides diagnostic assessment of current personality functioning in line with the DSM V criteria, in the areas of identity, self-direction, empathy, intimacy in NDIS participants diagnosed with a personality disorder. The goal of these assessments is to guide risk management and support planning. It is important to note, a single, definitive personality disorder does not exist. Instead, psychologists diagnose personality disorders through a thorough assessment that emphasizes longitudinal difficulties, and not simply the cross-sectional presentation.
- Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2), for ages 18 years and older
- Structured clinical interview(s)
What does the assessment process look like?
The process of a personality disorder assessment involves five stages:
- Initial appointment to perform a through interview in order to obtain all relevant background information.
- Administration of diagnostic assessment
- Structured clinical interview(s)
- Your psychologist will complete a comprehensive report, including any relevant diagnoses, suggestions for interventions and recommendations for home.
- Feedback session to discuss the results of the personality assessment and the report.