Assessment targets

At the end of the chapter, you should ask yourself the following questions:

  • Do I understand the diagnostic criteria for personality disorders, and can I explain the controversies that surround their categorisation?
  • Can I critically evaluate the roles of childhood trauma, attachment, and genetic influences in the development of personality disorders?
  • Can I explain and evaluate biological and psychological models of personality disorders, and relate them back to the ultimate causes of those disorders?
  • Can I describe treatments for personality disorders, explain how different treatments overlap, and evaluate their effectiveness?