Personality Disorders in Older Adults: Emerging Issues in Diagnosis and Treatment

by Rosowsky; Erlene

• ISBN13: 9780805826838
• ISBN10: 0805826831
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1999-06-01
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

As the average age of the population rises, mental health professionals have become increasingly aware of the critical importance of personality in mediating successful adaptation in later life. Personality disorders were once thought to "age out," and accordingly to have an inconsequential impact on the lives of the elderly. But recent clinical experience and studies underscore not only the prevalence of personality disorders in older people, but the pivotal roles they play in the onset, course, and treatment outcomes of other emotional and cognitive problems and physical problems as well. Clearly, mental health professionals must further develop research methods, assessment techniques, and intervention strategies targeting these disorders; and they must more effectively integrate what is being learned from advances in research and theory into clinical practice. Inspired by these needs, the editors have brought together a distinguished group of behavioral scientists and clinicians dedicated to understanding the interaction of personality and aging. Offering a rich array of theoretical perspectives (intrapsychic, interpersonal, neuropsychological, and systems), they summarize the empirical literature, present phenomenological case reports, and review psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, and pharmacological treatment approaches. This comprehensive state-of-the-art guide will be welcomed by all those who must confront the complexity and the challenge of working with this population.

Table of Contents

Contributors	p. ix
Preface	p. xi
Acknowledgments	p. xii
Conceptual Background	p. 1
Conceptual Overview of Personality Disorders In the Elderly	p. 3
References	p. 13
Personality and Aging: A Psychotherapist Reflects Late in His Own Life	p. 17
References	p. 28
Research and Assessment: Overview and Outcome Measures	p. 29
Personality Disorders in Adults: A Review	p. 31
References	p. 49
Personality Disorders After Age 50: a Meta-Analytic Review of the Literature	p. 55
Acknowledgment	p. 65
References	p. 66
Personality Disorders and Treatment Outcome	p. 69
Refeences	p. 91
Dimensional Measures and The Five-Factor Model: Clinical Implications and Research Directions	p. 95
References	p. 112
Acknowledgments	p. 112
Determining Personality Disorders in Older Adults Through Self-Identification and Clinician Assessment	p. 119
References	p. 132
Conceptual and Methodological Issues in the Assessment of Personality Disorders in Older Adults	p. 135
Acknowledgments	p. 148
References	p. 149
Clinical Issues: Diagnosis and Treatment	p. 151
The Patient-Therapist Relationship and the Psychotherapy of the Older Adult with Personality Disorder	p. 153
References	p. 171
The Influence of Personality On Reactions of Older Adults To Physical Illness	p. 175
References	p. 186
Neuropsychological Contributions to Differential Diagnosis of Personality Disorder in Old Age	p. 189
References	p. 202
Personality Disorders in Older Adults: Some Issues in Psychodynamic Treatment	p. 205
References	p. 214
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Personality Disorders, and The Elderly: Clinical and Theoretical Considerations	p. 215
References	p. 225
Pharmacologic Treatment of Personality Disorders in Late Life	p. 229
References	p. 251
Systems and Social Issues	p. 255
Personality Disorders and The Difficult Nursing Home Resident	p. 257
References	p. 272
Ethical Issues in the Clinical Management of Older Adults with Personality Disorder	p. 275
Acknowledgments	p. 286
References	p. 287
Afterword: Personality Disorders in Late Life and Public Policy: Implications of the Contextual, Cohort-Based, Maturity, Specific Challenge Model	p. 289
Rfferfnces	p. 293
Author Index	p. 295
Subject Index	p. 309
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