personality dysfunction disorder

personality dysfunction disorder Personality dysfunction occurs in adults when there has been a disruption to
personality development. This has its origin in the early years during crucial
periods of personality development, and becomes ingrained as a chronically
maladaptive style during adolescence. Personality dysfunction frequently
involves disturbed self-experiences, disturbed interpersonal behaviour and
maladaptive coping mechanisms. Current classifications of personality disorder
focus on the interpersonal disturbances experienced by individuals with
dysfunctional or maladaptive models of self and others, that is, the effect of their
personality dysfunction on their relationships with others.
Major factors contributing to personality dysfunction include adverse early
experiences, attachment disruption, trauma and abuse. Some individuals may
also be biologically vulnerable and less resistant to adversity. Severe personality
disorder has been linked with child maltreatment and emotional neglect.
Individuals with severe personality disorder have frequently experienced
failure of the caretaking environment, with no alternate attachment figures to
provide some protection and a secure base, and patterns of care that are
confusing and unpredictable. In many cases, these dysfunctional patterns of
relationships are transgenerational. That is, parents who themselves have experienced early abuse and adversity find it difficult to parent and are at risk of
replicating disturbing infant–parent interactions with their own children. Early
trauma has disrupted these parents’ own personality development and has
limited their understanding of their infant’s needs and their capacity to tolerate
the emotional demands of nurturing an infant.