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Personality Disorders — Clusters, Causes, and Evidence-Based Treatments Explained | Chapter 11 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology Personality disorders are enduring, maladaptive patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that emerge in adolescence or early adulthood and cause significant impairment. Chapter 11 of Essentials of Abnormal Psychology organizes these disorders into three DSM-5 clusters—A, B, and C—examines their prevalence and risk factors, and reviews effective treatment approaches. This guide will help you master these complex disorders and prepare for your exams. Watch the Chapter Summary Prefer audio-visual learning? Watch the full Chapter 11 summary below and subscribe to Last Minute Lecture for more chapter guides. Overview of Personality Disorders Personality disorders affect up to 10% of adults and often co-occur with other mental health conditions. The DSM-5’s categorical approach places them into three clusters based on shared traits, though a d...

Understanding Psychological Disorders — Types, Causes, and Treatments Explained | Psychology Chapter 15 Summary This comprehensive summary of Chapter 15 from Principles of Psychology (13th Edition) by David G. Myers and C. Nathan DeWall explores psychological disorders — syndromes involving significant disturbances in cognition, emotion, or behavior — and their classification, causes, and treatment. Watch the full YouTube podcast summary for an in-depth understanding of mental health disorders. Models and Classification The medical model views psychological disorders as illnesses with biological causes. The biopsychosocial approach considers biological, psychological, and social-cultural influences. The DSM-5 is the primary diagnostic manual, though labeling can sometimes lead to stigma or misdiagnosis. Anxiety Disorders Include generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Causes...

Psychiatric Disorders Exam Review: Diagnosis & Treatment for Physician Assistants Prepare for your physician assistant certification exam with this focused review of psychiatric disorders from A Comprehensive Review for the Certification and Recertification Examinations for Physician Assistants by Claire Babcock O'Connell and Thea Cogan-Drew. This summary covers the diagnostic criteria, clinical features, and treatment strategies for mood, anxiety, psychotic, somatic, personality, trauma-related, eating, substance-related, and childhood psychiatric conditions. Watch the podcast summary above and subscribe to Last Minute Lecture for more clinical reviews and PA exam prep. Diagnosis of Psychiatric Disorders DSM-5 Criteria: Psychiatric diagnoses require criteria from the DSM-5, focusing on functional impairment not due to other medical or substance causes. Psychotic Disorders Schizophrenia Spectrum: Includes brief psychotic disorder, schizophreniform disor...

How Personality Affects Mental Disorders and Physical Health Can your personality shape your health? Chapter 17 of The Personality Puzzle dives into the fascinating connection between personality traits, mental disorders, and physical well-being. From understanding how personality disorders are diagnosed in the DSM-5 to exploring how traits like conscientiousness and hostility influence longevity, this chapter highlights the deep interdependence between psychology and health outcomes. Watch the podcast-style summary above, or read below for a full breakdown of this chapter’s essential insights. What Is a Personality Disorder? A personality disorder is defined as a long-term pattern of maladaptive thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that deviate from cultural norms and impair functioning. Unlike many mental health conditions, personality disorders are often ego-syntonic —the individual does not see their behavior as problematic—which complicates diagnosis and treatment. The...

Navigating Psychiatric Diagnosis — Chapter 6 Summary from Clinical Psychopharmacology for Therapists Accurate diagnosis is one of the most critical steps in effective mental health treatment. Chapter 6 of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Therapists examines the complexity of diagnosing psychiatric conditions, particularly in cases involving overlapping symptoms, comorbidities, and confounding medical or substance-related factors. Understanding how to distinguish between principal, personality, and substance-induced disorders is essential for developing appropriate treatment strategies. Watch the full summary above to deepen your understanding of diagnostic challenges in psychiatry. Be sure to subscribe to Last Minute Lecture for more clinical psychology and psychopharmacology breakdowns. Principal vs. Personality Disorders A core focus of this chapter is distinguishing between principal disorders and personality disorders . Principal disorders—such as major depressive disor...