RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE CLINICAL-ASSESSMENT OF PERSONALITY-DISORDERS

Each of the latest editions of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders has given specia l attention to the diagnosis of personality disorders. However, the as sessment of personality disorders is among the most problematic and co ntroversial of the mental disorders. The purpose of this paper is to p rovide an overview of the major issues in the assessment of personalit y disorders, and to provide suggestions for their resolution. Issues t hat are covered include the differentiation of personality disorders f rom other mental disorders, from other personality disorders, and from normal personality functioning. We also discuss alternative instrumen ts for the assessment of personality disorders, focusing in particular on various self-report inventories and semistructured interviews.