Problem solving style linked to specific personality disorders

Results of a recent UK-based study have revealed an association between problem solving profiles of specific personality disorders (PDs).Researchers McMurran et al. have proposed that social problem solving is a cognitive model that might help guide understanding and treatment of DSM-IV defined PDs. They conducted a treatment trial designed to evaluate combined psychoeducation and social problem solving therapy for adults with PD.They postulated that innate traits are the developmental start-point for behavioural patterns, and that "certain personality traits limit and bias information processing, interfering with the acquisition of good social problem solving skills and consequently leading to dysfunctional ways of operating in everyday life."A total of 173 people aged between 19 and 64 years were analysed using the International Personality Disorders Examination (IPDE) and the revised Social Problem Solving Inventory (SPSI-R). Analysis revealed that diagnosis of PDs were not equally distributed: Cluster A equated to paranoid PD, Cluster B to borderline PD, and Cluster C to avoidant PD. Borderline PD was found to be associated with an impulsive/careless problem solving style and low avoidance. Histrionic PD was associated with an impulsive/careless problem solving style, and narcissistic PD was associated with a combination of an impulsive/careless problem solving style and positivity. An impulsive or careless style was common among Cluster B PD, which the authors stated is consistent with "the dramatic, emotional or erratic description of these disorders."In Cluster C, the social problem solving features associated with avoidant PD were low for impulsive or careless style and high on negative problem orientation. Dependent PD was also associated with negative problem orientation.For Cluster A neither diagnoses nor dimensional scores showed any associations with problem solving."Differences between PDs shown that impulsivity is the most important target for Cluster B and negativity for Cluster C," they surmised, and concluded that their results confirm that some PDs can be described in terms of their social problem solving orientation and style.Reference...