Open AccessAdolescent Personality Pathology and the Alternative Model for Personality Disorders: Self Development as Nexus
Author(s) -
Carla Sharp
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
psychopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.867
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1423-033X
pISSN - 0254-4962
DOI - 10.1159/000507588
Subject(s) - psychology , personality pathology , personality , empathy , mentalization , personality development , personality disorders , borderline personality disorder , psychology of self , developmental psychology , self transcendence , identity (music) , cognitive psychology , social psychology , big five personality traits , clinical psychology , big five personality traits and culture , physics , acoustics
This paper reviews maladaptive trait development (DSM-5 Section III Criterion B), the development of DSM-5 Section II borderline personality disorder, and research on the development of identity, self-direction, empathy/mentalizing, and intimacy (DSM-5 Section III Criterion A). Combined, these previously disparate literatures begin to point to an integrated developmental theory of personality pathology, which suggests that Criterion A concepts (identity, self-direction, empathy, and intimacy) coalesce around the development of self, marking a discontinuous (qualitative) developmental shift. This developmental shift is a function of the demands placed on individuals to take on independent adult role function, combined with biologically-based maturational cognitive and emotional advances during adolescence. Section II personality disorder ensues when an integrated and coherent sense of self fails to develop, resulting in nonfulfilment of adult role function. In this sense, Criterion A self function can account for the onset of Section II personality disorder in adolescence, while Criterion B provides a useful descriptive account of continuous aspects of personality function over time.