Part 1
Part 1: In your reading, you learned about the 10 distinct personality disorder diagnoses. While they remain in the DSM-5-TR in this form and have so for decades now, current personality disorder researchers are pushing – adamantly – toward a different view, a more dimensional vs. categorical/diagnostic view of personality.
Hopwood et al. (2018) tell us, “The committee revising the ICD-11 Mental or Behavioural Disorders section ‘Personality Disorders and Related Traits’ has proposed replacing categorical personality disorders with a severity gradient ranging from personality difficulties to severe personality disorder along the five trait domains: negative affectivity, dissocial, disinhibition, anankastic and detachment” (para 1., emphases added).
The authors of this article (of which there are 41, representing a large proportion of active personality disorder researchers) go on to say that the 10 discrete personality disorder diagnoses have been problematic and not clinically useful all along. They say there is “no evidence” that personality disorders are categorical and that the dimensional model has “considerable connection to scientific evidence.”
(They go so far as to say that believing in the 10 distinct personality disorders is akin to believing the sun moves around the Earth. That, yes, before we knew better it may have made sense, but we know better now and should no longer continue propagating the “myth” that these ten specific personality disorders exist).
For part 1 of this discussion answer the following:
First, without consulting any outside research, what is your gut reaction to this debate between the existence of discrete personality disorder categories (i.e., antisocial personality disorder, avoidant personality disorder, etc.) and the proposed dimensional way of viewing things, where the essence and severity of each condition is considered more important and clinical useful that a specific name/identifier (i.e., “schizoid personality disorder”)? Which side do you fall on naturally, just based on your gut instinct? If someone asked you “why do you think that?” How would you answer?
Now, do some research on the general internet, first, then narrowing down to the scholarly research and, in light of what you see, how has your perspective changed? Do you see evidence of the existence of the 10 specific personality disorder diagnoses? Or does the dimensional view seem to fit more with the evidence? Cite at least one source (other than Hopwood et al., above, although that’s a great place to start) to support your new position.
If so many personality disorder researchers are this adamant that the 10 disorders “don’t exist” but rather the dimensional view of these conditions is more scientifically valid and useful in treatment, then is there any value in teaching undergraduate students the 10 disorders as they are currently listed in the DSM-5-TR (as we have done in this course)? Or should we, as higher educators, be moving away from this, too? Share your perspective.
Part 2: After reading about the paraphilias this week, what questions would recommend psychology researchers focus on in the future?
Part 3: You watched Esther Perel’s TED talk as part of your required learning. You’ll notice that she hit on several psychological themes that not only bear on the experience of being in a committed sexual relationship (which is the context of her talk), but also on the experience of someone with a sexual dysfunction.
Choose one or more of these themes to review and think about, as your interest dictates (see time stamps in footnote below to help guide and manage your time). Explore how you think it could apply to the experience, expression, comorbidities, and course of a sexual dysfunction. Use quotes from Perel’s talk and your other readings to make your points and support your connections.
End by answering: If you were a therapist working with a person with a sexual dysfunction, how would you leverage Perel’s research to help them?
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Part 2
Is it possible for “friends with benefits” to maintain a “no strings attached” relationship or is it inevitable that one or both partners will end up developing feelings for each other?
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part 3
The article in this weeks readings, “The COVID-19 Pandemic, Stress, and Trauma in the Disability Community: A Call to Action” provides information on the impact COVID took on various communities. For example, some people did not have access to health care due to lack of transportation and support. Some areas also lacked funding for specific items to maintain health. Individuals who are disabled were strongly impacted by the pandemic.
Select a specific area the researchers described and explain in what way that area impacted ones overall health and the stress they experienced. What is your call to action for some of these areas?
Please share what you feel comfortable with sharing.
The COVID-19 pandemic, stress, and trauma in the disability community: A call to action.
Lund, E. M., Forber-Pratt, A. J., Wilson, C., & Mona, L. R. (2020). The COVID-19 pandemic, stress, and trauma in the disability community: A call to action. Rehabilitation Psychology, 65, 313–322. doi: ezproxy.umgc.edu/10.1037/rep0000368
