Abnormal Psychology

Personality Disorders 585

As with paranoid personality disorder, mental health clinicians need to make

sure that the diagnosis of schizoid personality disorder isn’t applied to people from

different cultural backgrounds because of behaviors that are appropriate in their

culture of origin. For instance, among the Hindu of India, it is considered saintly to

be detached from and unmoved by events, and such traits would thus not be consid-

ered symptoms of a personality disorder in that culture (Castillo, 1997). Similarly,

symptoms of schizoid personality disorder must be distinguished from superfi cially

similar behaviors exhibited by immigrants or people who move from rural to urban

environments and fi nd the experience so overstimulating that they “shut down”

emotionally for the fi rst few months: Such individuals may engage in solitary activi-

ties and appear emotionally fl at as they attempt to cope with the novel and demand-

ing environment (American Psychiatric Association, 2000).

In sum, schizoid personality disorder involves a chronic pattern of limited emo-

tional expression and diminished social understanding, few relationships, and little

desire for relationships.

Schizotypal Personality Disorder

People with schizotypal personality disorder have eccentric thoughts, perceptions,

and behaviors, in addition to having very few close relationships, like those with

schizoid personality disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2000).

What Is Schizotypal Personality Disorder?

According to the DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria, schizotypal personality disorder

has nine symptoms (see Table 13.8, Criterion A), which can be organized into three

distinct groups (Calkins et al., 2004; Raine, 2006; Reynolds et al., 2000):

• Cognitive-perceptual

° magical thinking, in which the person believes that he or she has control over

external events, as occurs with superstitious beliefs

° unusual perceptual experiences, such as sensing the presence of another person

when no one is there or hearing a voice on the radio murmuring one’s name

Prevalence

• Approximately 3% of the general population is estimated to have schizoid personality disorder
  (Grant, Hasin, et al., 2004).
  Comorbidity


• A common comorbid Axis I disorder is major depressive disorder.


• Common comorbid Axis II disorders are the other Cluster A (odd/eccentric) personality disorders
  (paranoid and schizotypal personality disorders) and avoidant personality disorder. Half of the
  people diagnosed with schizoid personality disorder will also be diagnosed with schizotypal
  personality disorder (McGlashan et al., 2000).
  Onset


• Those who develop schizoid personality disorder were often socially isolated underachievers
  who were teased by their classmates as children and adolescents.
  Course


• Schizoid personality disorder is relatively stable over time (Seivewright, Tyrer, & Johnson, 2002).
  Gender Differences


• This personality disorder is diagnosed more often in men than in women.


• Women with this personality disorder are often more impaired than their male counterparts.
  Source: Unless otherwise noted, the source is American Psychiatric Association, 2000.

Table 13.7 • Schizoid Personality Disorder Facts at a Glance

Schizotypal personality disorder

A personality disorder characterized by

eccentric thoughts, perceptions, and

behaviors, in addition to having very few

close relationships.