Interpersonal Diagnosis And Treatment Of Personality Disorders

The interpersonal dimensions of each DSM-IV personality disorder are discussed in depth and and innovative procedures for assessment and diagnosis described.

"Bringing intellectual rigor and discipline to the art of psychotherapy, Lorna Smith Benjamin has developed a unifying theory of personality disorders that has unprecedented clinical relevance. This groundbreaking volume presents an interpersonal approach that will enable therapists of all theoretical orientations to increase their effectiveness and reduce their frustration in working with this very difficult population." "The book opens with an introduction to the interpersonal approach and to the Structural Analysis of Social Behavior (SASB) developed by Dr. Benjamin. This dimensional model of interpersonal and intrapsychic interactions can be used to assess patients, their families, and their therapists to determine the specific ways in which they interact with and influence one another. In the sections that follow, each of the DSM personality disorders is sharply delineated in a finely tuned description that is greatly enhanced by Dr. Benjamin's interpersonal approach and clinical insights. Adding an extensive and clinically useful list of descriptive amendments to the DSM criteria, she provides a sophisticated differential diagnosis that greatly reduces the problem of overlap in symptoms that frequently occurs when using the DSM rules alone. Expected transference reactions, developmental histories, and probable underlying motivations are also explored in detail." "Throughout, the volume is rich with clinical material that specifically illustrates the interviewing method, the diagnostic process, and treatment interventions. Dr. Benjamin also presents hypotheses concerning the development of crucial interpersonal relationships which may explain the patient's current behavior. Such understanding provides perhaps the most valuable clues on how best to interact with and treat these patients." "A major breakthrough in the treatment of personality disorders, this important work will be an invaluable resource for all clinicians - behavioral, psychodynamic, and eclectic - working with this challenging population. It also offers researchers a method to dissect and study more objectively vitally important problems in psychosocial diagnosis and treatment. This volume will serve as an excellent text for psychiatric residencies and graduate courses in psychopathology, personality and personality disorders, psychotherapy, and assessment and diagnosis."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

The interpersonal dimensions of each DSM-IV personality disorder are discussed in depth and and innovative procedures for assessment and diagnosis described.

In the decade before he became the highly controversial director of psychedelic drug research at Harvard, Timothy Leary was one of the leading clinical psychologists practicing in the U.S., heading the prestigious Kaiser Foundation Psychological Research Center in Oakland. INTERPERSONAL DIAGNOSIS OF PERSONALITY (1957), his first full-length book, summarizes the innovative experimental studies in interpersonal behavior performed by the author and his associates at the Kaiser Foundation and in private practice between 1950 and 1957.

This book proposes an integrated model of treatment for Personality Disorders (PDs) that goes beyond outdated categorical diagnoses, aiming to treat the general factors underlying the pathology of personality. The authors emphasize the development of metacognitive functions and the integration of procedures and techniques of different psychotherapies. The book addresses the treatment of complex cases that present with multiform psychopathological features, outlining clinical interventions that focus on structures of personal meaning, metacognition and interpersonal processes. In addition, this book: Provides an overview of pre-treatment phase procedures such as assessment interviews Explains the Metacognitive Interpersonal Therapy (MIT) approach and summarizes MIT clinical guidelines Outlines pharmacological treatment for patients with PDs Includes checklists and other useful resources for therapists evaluating their adherence to the treatment method Complex Cases of Personality Disorders: Metacognitive and Interpersonal Therapy is both an insightful reexamining of the theoretical underpinnings of personality disorder treatment and a practical resource for clinicians.

Patients with personality disorders need targeted treatments which are able to deal with the specific aspects of the core pathology and to tackle the challenges they present to the treatment clinicians. Such patients, however, are often difficult to engage, are prone to ruptures in the therapeutic alliance, and have difficulty adhering to a manualized treatment. Giancarlo Dimaggio, Antonella Montano, Raffaele Popolo and Giampaolo Salvatore aim to change this, and have developed a practical and systematic manual for the clinician, using Metacognitive Interpersonal Therapy (MIT), and including detailed procedures for dealing with a range of personality disorders. The book is divided into two parts, Pathology, and Treatment, and provides precise instructions on how to move from the basic steps of forming an alliance, drafting a therapy contract and promoting self-reflections, to the more advanced steps of promoting change and helping the patient move toward health and adaptation. With clinical examples, summaries of therapies, and excerpts of session transcripts, Metacognitive Interpersonal Therapy for Personality Disorders will be welcomed by psychotherapists, clinical psychologists and other mental health professionals involved in the treatment of personality disorders.

Geared to the needs of mental health practitioners unfamiliar with dissociative disorders, this volume presents a comprehensive and integrated approach to diagnosis and treatment. Each step--from first interview to final post-integrative treatment--is systematically reviewed, with detailed instructions on specific diagnostic and therapeutic techniques and examples of their clinical applications. Concise yet thorough, the volume offers expert advice on such topics as how to foster a strong therapeutic alliance, how to manage crises, and what basic errors to avoid.

The etiology of borderline personality disorder is essentially unknown. Although many well-known theoretical formulations remain the best possible hypotheses, much of what has been suggested thus far for the management of BPD has proved impractical in a majority of cases. Written by an expert in the field of BPD, Borderline Personality Disorder presents a practical approach to the management of patients with this disorder. Designed for readers who are skeptical of facile explanations, this book provides a broader view of the etiology of BPD than has been presented in previous studies. Readers will not only appreciate the review of the current research but also its theoretical integration into practice. Borderline Personality Disorderhas two goals: to build a comprehensive theory of etiology which takes into account biological, psychological, and social factors. to suggest treatment guidelines which are consistent with this theory, and which are based on the findings of clinical trials. Based on the most up-to-date clinical research available, Borderline Personality Disorder shows how these complex disorders are shaped by biological vulnerability, brought on by psychological experiences, and influenced by social conditions.