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PERSONALITY PATTERN DISTURBANCE

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Personality Pattern Disturbance: Definition, History, and Characteristics

Personality pattern disturbance is a mental health issue that affects how a person perceives and interacts with the world. It is characterized by a pattern of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that deviate from social norms. It is a relatively new concept and is often used to describe individuals who do not meet the criteria for a personality disorder. This article will provide an overview of personality pattern disturbance, including its definition, history, and characteristics.

Definition

Personality pattern disturbance is a mental health issue that is characterized by maladaptive patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that deviate from social norms. It is distinct from personality disorder in that it does not meet the full criteria for any one specific personality disorder. Instead, it is used to describe individuals who have a range of symptoms from different personality disorders, but do not meet the criteria for any one in particular.

History

Personality pattern disturbance is a relatively new concept, having only been introduced in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) in 2013. Prior to this, the DSM-IV defined personality disorder as a pervasive pattern of cognition, affect, and behavior that was inflexible and maladaptive. The DSM-5 changed this definition to include personality pattern disturbance as a separate entity.

Characteristics

The most common characteristics of personality pattern disturbance are rigid, maladaptive patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving. These patterns may include difficulty forming and maintaining relationships, antisocial behaviors, impulsivity, and an inability to express emotions appropriately. Individuals with personality pattern disturbance may also experience anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and suicidal ideation.

Conclusion

Personality pattern disturbance is a mental health issue characterized by maladaptive patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving. It is distinct from personality disorder in that it does not meet the full criteria for any one specific disorder, but rather is used to describe individuals with a range of symptoms from several disorders. This article provided an overview of personality pattern disturbance, including its definition, history, and characteristics.

References

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.

Clements-Nolle, K., & Armstrong, K. (2015). A review of personality pattern disturbance. Psychiatric Annals, 45(4), 198–203. https://doi.org/10.3928/00485713-20150312-03

Gondoli, D. M., & Trull, T. J. (2015). Assessment of personality pattern disturbance. Current Psychiatry Reports, 17(3), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-015-0525-2

Smith, S. L., & Torgersen, S. (2014). Personality pattern disturbance: Implications for diagnosis and treatment. Current Psychiatry Reports, 16(4), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-014-0450-1

Cite This Article

looti, M. (2025, December 3). PERSONALITY PATTERN DISTURBANCE. Encyclopedia of psychology. https://encyclopedia.arabpsychology.com/personality-pattern-disturbance/
looti, Mohammed. “PERSONALITY PATTERN DISTURBANCE.” Encyclopedia of psychology, 3 December 2025, https://encyclopedia.arabpsychology.com/personality-pattern-disturbance/.
looti, Mohammed. “PERSONALITY PATTERN DISTURBANCE.” Encyclopedia of psychology. December 3, 2025. https://encyclopedia.arabpsychology.com/personality-pattern-disturbance/.