Akiskal 2002 models personality disorders as adaptive traits that in combination or in extreme are pathological, so that the genes that confer susceptibility are not genes for disease but genes for human evolution/adaptation.  

Borderline Personality Disorder

As Disorders of the Attachment Archetype 

Bowlby (1969) found that personality disorder could occur due to deficient maternal care.  He wrote in 1951, "It is as if maternal care were as necessary for the proper development of personality as vitamin D for the development of bones." 

Borderline Personality Disorder as a Disorder of Affect Dysregulation

In addition to low stress tolerance, disorganisation & disorientation, Main and Solomon (1986) found that affect dysregulation was a prominent outcome of insecurely attached infants.   This is a core feature of many of the personality disorders.  

Abused & neglected children tend to suffer from: (1) A lack of a predictable sense of self, with a poor sense of separateness, & disturbed body image;  (2) Poorly modulated affect & impulse control, aggression against self & others;  (3) Uncertainty about the reliability & predictability of others, accounting for the distrust, suspiciousness, problems with intimacy, & social isolation (Van der Kolk 2001).  Cole & Putnam (1992) proposed that people's cores sense of self is defined by their capacity to regulate internal states & by how well they can predict & regulate their responses to stress.

Hysterical Personality Disorder

Schizoid Personality Disorder

Antisocial Personality Disorder

This personality disorder may be the result of a low genetic dose of the neuroticism trait combined with a high dose of childhood exposure to abuse & neglect, accentuating the low neurotic state rather than compensating for it.  Dissociation may also play a part, as these individuals may be more prone towards dissociation rather than increased anxiety levels.  This may explain why patients with this diagnosis are at high risk of depressive disorders, substance abuse disorders and suicide, despite their low neuroticism scores.   

Isaac Marks has coined the term "hypophobics" to describe people who lack anxiety.  The utility of these most distressing feelings is best observed in people who lack them. Such people follow their drives, betray their friends, annoy their relatives, and, unless they are very clever, get in terrible trouble.  

As Disorders of the Hierarchical Ranking Archetype

Stevens & Price proposed the following classification system for Disorders of Attachment/Rank Personality Disorders:

Subgroup (a): 

Antisocial

Histrionic 
Narcissistic

Subgroup (b): 

Type A (dominant)

Dependent 

Obsessive-compulsive

As Disorders of the Courtship & Mating Archetype

As Disorders of the Threat Response Archetype

As "Spacing" Disorders

Stevens & Price proposed the following classification system for "Spacing" Personality Disorders:

Avoidant

Paranoid

Schizoid

Schizotypal

home

[ Classification Grid ]

Citation suggestion: Dr Gary Galambos, Personality Disorders, Evolutionary Psychiatry Home Sydney Australia (http://www.ep.org.au/dis/pd.htm) [date accessed]

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