A concise guide to personality disorders.

Clients with personality disorders (PDs) present special challenges to clinicians. Nonetheless, successful treatment is possible, and a rapidly growing research base can inform diagnosis and intervention. This book reviews what we know and what we don t know about PDs, and what this implies for clinical practice. It integrates a large body of research findings into a concise, highly practical approach to managing difficult clients. Rather than advocating a single method of treatment, Joel Paris promotes an integration of all evidence-based psychotherapies, as well as effective case management. The evidence base for pharmacotherapy is reviewed as well. Focusing particularly on borderline, antisocial, and narcissistic PDs, the author also reviews other PD categories. His extensive experience and clinical wisdom illuminate the discussion, demonstrating how to work productively and empathically with these clients. "This book consists of three parts. The first is devoted to general issues about Personality disorders (PDs). Chapter 1 addresses thorny problems of definition and the uncertain boundary between PD and personality. Chapter 2 focuses on the relationships between traits and disorders and assesses the advantages and disadvantages of proposals to revised or replace the DSM system. Chapter 3 examines etiology and risk factors, and Chapter 4 reviews prevalence and outcome. The second part of the book is devoted to specific PD categories: Chapter 5 on antisocial PD, Chapter 6 on BPD, Chapter 7 on narcissistic PD, Chapter 8 on other PDs (schizotypal, schizoid, paranoid, histrionic, avoidant, obsessive-compulsive, dependent, and PD, not otherwise specified). The third part of the book concerns treatment. Chapter 9 examines the efficacy of pharmacotherapy, and Chapter 10 reviews evidence concerning the various psychotherapies developed for PD. Chapter 11 presents a general approach to management, with emphasis on the borderline category. Finally, Chapter 12 summarizes what we know about PD and what we need to find out"--Introduction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved) This book reviews what we know and what we don't know about PDs, and what this implies for clinical practice. Clients with personality disorders (PDs) present special challenges to clinicians. Nonetheless, successful treatment is possible, and a rapidly growing research base can inform diagnosis and intervention. A Concise Guide to Personality Disorders integrates a large body of research findings into a concise, highly practical approach to managing difficult clients. Rather than advocating a single method of treatment, Joel Paris promotes an integration of all evidence-based psychotherapies, as well as effective case management. The evidence base for pharmacotherapy is reviewed as well. Focusing particularly on borderline, antisocial, and narcissistic PDs, the author also reviews other PD categories. His extensive experience and clinical wisdom illuminate the discussion, demonstrating how to work productively and empathically with these clients. Part one. General issues -- part two. Specific disorders -- part three. Treatment