Personality Disorders
Toward the DSM-V
- William O'Donohue - University of Nevada, Reno, USA
- Katherine A. Fowler - Emory University, USA, National Institute of Mental Health
- Scott O. Lilienfeld - Emory University, USA, Emory University, Department of Psychology, USA
Personality Disorders: Toward the DSM-V offers a scientifically balanced evaluation of competing theoretical perspectives and nosological systems for personality disorders. Editors William T. O’Donohue, Scott O. Lilienfeld, and Katherine A. Fowler have brought together recognized authorities in the field to offer a synthesis of competing perspectives that provide readers with the richest and most nuanced assessment possible for each disorder. The result is a comprehensive, current, and critical summary of research and practice guidelines related to the personality disorders.
Key Features
- Focuses on controversies and alternative conceptualizations: Separate chapters are dedicated to each personality disorder and considered from various points of view.
- Presents authoritative perspectives: Leading scholars and researchers in the field provide a critical evaluation of alternative perspectives on each personality disorder.
- Frames the current state of personality disorder research and practice issues: Cutting edge and streamlined research is presented to be used in courses on diagnosis, assessment, psychopathology and abnormal psychology, especially those that include the DSM-IV.
- Offers an integrative understanding of elusive personality categorizations: Wherever possible, case examples are offered as illustrations of each disorder’s clinical presentation.
- Minimizes the use of technical terms: Each contributor takes the approach of a user-friendly summary and integration of major trends, findings, and future directions.
Intended Audience
This is an excellent supplementary text for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses on adult psychopathology in the departments of psychology, psychiatry, social work, counseling, and marriage and family therapy.
"Personality Disorders is an important book because it exposes clearly the major controversies facing the field. Each chapter is an erudite contribution that stands on its own quality. In addition, the insightful reader will also be able to compare the divergent, and sometimes contradictory, perspectives and conclusions of different chapters. Consideration of the contradictions and unanswered questions throughout the book reveals the harsh consequences of blind reliance on false assumptions about how nature can be carved at its joints, when there are actually no such joints."
"This is an important book. It provides a clear guide and reference for season clinicians who treat personality disordered individuals everyday, knowingly or not. It should prove especially helpful to graduate students and upper level undergraduates as an introduction to the diagnoses and as a demonstration of the importance of good clinical and empirical research."
"Useful as both a textbook and a reference resource, this is an excellent volume. O'Donohue, Fowler, and Lilienfeld called on an impressive array of clinical experts to address the etiology, symptomology, and treatment of each of the major personality disorders." —R.E. Osborne, Texas State University-San Marcos
"Just what the Doctor ordered!"
"I recommend this book to interested clinicians who wish to extend their knowedge, and to new an experienced researchers in the field of personality disorder."
The book itself is good, especially the discussion of overlap between personality disorders, although the organization of contents follows DSM-IV. The current state of discussion concerning DSM-V is not covered in the book. The title is a bit misleading in this regard.
Chapter 8 (Histrionic personality disorders) does contain data about somatisation disorder. However, the links with chronic pain are not explict.
Sample Materials & Chapters
Chapter 3 - Paranoid Personality Disorder
Chapter 7 - Borderline Personality Disorder
Sage College Publishing
