Personality disorders from the perspective of child and adolescent psychiatry

doi:10.1017/CBO9780511544439.006

5 - Personality disorders from the perspective of child and adolescent psychiatry

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 August 2009

Arnold Allertz and

Edited by

Salman Akhtar and

Arnold Allertz: Affiliation:
Managing Director Fornhese Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, and Emerhese, Center for Autistic Disorders, Symfora groep, Centers for Mental Health, Amersfoort, The Netherlands
Guus van Voorst: Affiliation:
Clinical Psychologist Clinical Head Emerhese, Center for Autistic Disorders, Symfora groep, Centers for Mental Health, Amersfoort, The Netherlands
Bert van Luyn: Affiliation:
Symfora Group, The Netherlands
Salman Akhtar: Affiliation:
Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia
W. John Livesley: Affiliation:
University of British Columbia, Vancouver

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Summary

When do personality disorders begin? Is personality fixed in late adolescence or early adulthood? Are personality traits distinguishable after birth or in childhood? There are no definitive answers to these questions as yet and there is obviously much to learn. Nevertheless, long-term studies point to considerable stability in personality even when assessed in adolescence. Moreover, as Paris (2003) noted in his excellent overview of the course of personality disorders from childhood till late adulthood, it does seem possible to identify some precursors of personality disorder in childhood and early adolescence. In this chapter, we highlight some developmental aspects of personality and personality disorders from the perspective of child and adolescent psychiatry.

Developmental aspects of personality disorders

Developmental psychopathology is the study of the developmental processes that contribute to the formation of, or resistance to, psychopathology (Wenar and Kerig, 2000). Many studies from this field suggest that vulnerability – adversities and psychopathology in infancy and early childhood – may lead to chronic and profound psychopathology in later life. In this section, we discuss five topics that are relevant in the development of psychopathology, especially personality disorders, in infants and young children: heredity, prenatal issues, attachment, temperament, and maltreatment.

Heredity

Twin and family studies show that genes influence the susceptibility to acquire a personality disorder. For example, a Norwegian twin study by Torgersen and colleagues showed that personality disorders generally were 60% heritable (Torgersen et al., 2000).

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Type: Chapter
Information: Severe Personality Disorders , pp. 79 - 92

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511544439.006 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2007

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