The Fragmented Personality by Dragan M. Svrakic & Mirjana Divac Jovanovic

Author:Dragan M. Svrakic & Mirjana Divac Jovanovic
Language: eng
Format: azw3
ISBN: 9780190884574
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Published: 2018-10-23T06:00:00+00:00

Figure 3.2 Dynamic nosology of mental health and disorder. Ovals are inserted to illustrate the most frequent combinations/overlap of adaptive styles (used with permission from the Taylor & Francis Group, UK).

The person’s position in the diagnostic space is relatively stable but not fixed, as it may and often does change. As shown in Figure 3.2, any style of adaptation can appear at any of the levels of functioning: for example, a histrionic style at the normal level involves histrionic traits, a variant of health, and a charming, playfully seductive, sociable, joyful person. At the neurotic level of hysteriform type neurosis, the same behaviors may be seen but with an intensified need for acceptance sought through social seductiveness, also stirring some guilt. At the fragmented level, now veritable histrionic personality disorder, the same style is intensified by conspicuous theatrical manners, mood swings between worthlessness and exaltation, need to control others because of projected guilt, surprising islets of transient but genuine empathy, the mental position of a “righteous victim,” and demanding, loud, and/or promiscuous behaviors. Our model provides a highly individualized assessment and offers a personalized diagnosis given a large number of possible configurations of adaptive styles cross-matched with the levels of functioning at a specific point in time and within the specific context. The model pioneers a dynamic nosology of mental health and disorders, sensitive to fluctuations in mental functioning, in contrast to the static classifications of the DSM or the ICD or other concepts of psychopathology. With our system, clinicians can monitor the individual as he or she moves around in the diagnostic space, that is, progresses or regresses whether in therapy or spontaneously in life. Such personalized assessment is highly relevant to the psychotherapeutic process and treatment planning.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.