Question

Difficulty: EasyPersonality Disorders

Match each clinical vignette with the most likely personality disorder diagnosis.

  • A 24-year-old woman refuses a promotion because it requires more interpersonal contact, expressing an intense fear of criticism and feeling inept compared to her colleagues.Avoidant Personality Disorder
  • A 30-year-old man wears overly flamboyant clothing, behaves in a highly theatrical manner, and becomes visibly upset when he is not the center of attention.Histrionic Personality Disorder
  • A 45-year-old executive demands to see the 'chief of medicine', boasts about his unique talents, and dismisses the inconvenience his demands cause the clinic staff.Narcissistic Personality Disorder
  • A 35-year-old night shift guard has no friends by choice, shows flat affect, prefers solitary activities, and states he has no interest in close relationships.Schizoid Personality Disorder

Answer

The correct matches are: the 24-year-old woman with Avoidant Personality Disorder, the 30-year-old man with Histrionic Personality Disorder, the 45-year-old executive with Narcissistic Personality Disorder, and the 35-year-old guard with Schizoid Personality Disorder.
Each vignette describes the classic, undisputed DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for the respective personality disorders, focusing on their most defining features (social inhibition for avoidant, attention-seeking for histrionic, grandiosity for narcissistic, and detachment for schizoid).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the first vignette for core personality traits.
The patient shows social inhibition and fear of criticism despite an underlying desire to be accepted.
This differentiates avoidant traits from those of cluster A disorders where there is no desire for social connection.
2
Analyze the second vignette.
The patient demonstrates attention-seeking, flamboyant, and theatrical behavior.
These are the hallmark criteria for Histrionic personality disorder (Cluster B).
3
Analyze the third vignette.
The patient exhibits grandiosity, entitlement, and a profound lack of empathy for others.
These traits specifically define Narcissistic personality disorder (Cluster B).
4
Analyze the fourth vignette.
The patient shows social detachment by choice and restricted affect.
These represent the core diagnostic criteria for Schizoid personality disorder (Cluster A).

Key Concept

Clinical presentation and differentiation of major personality disorders
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Rate this question