The DSM-IV Personality Disorders

"For the clinician or researcher interested in the current state of knowledge about personality disorders and how they should be conceptualized, classified and defined, this book is a gold mine. It not only includes a discussion of each of the DSM-IV personality disorders prepared by members of the DSM-IV Personality Disorders Work Group, but also presents critical commentaries on many of the controversial DSM-IV personality disorders, such as borderline and antisocial personality disorder. Having been an insider-outsider to the DSM-IV process, I can attest to the accuracy of the accounts of the DSM-IV Personality Work Group controversies and how they were resolved, such as the deletion of the DSM-III-R appendix categories of Sadistic and Self-defeating Personality Disorder. The DSM categorical approach to personality disorder classification is critically examined in several chapters and alternative models are presented.

Dr. Livesley, the editor, and himself an important personality disorder researcher, is to be congratulated for providing the field with such a useful and important book." --Robert L. Spitzer, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry, Columbia University and former Chair, DSM-III and DSM-III-R Work Group

"W. John Livesley, the editor of this volume, has assembled an outstanding group of authors who cover the background and decisions on the diagnostic criteria for all of the personality disorders in DSM-IV. Most importantly, the editor recognizes the limitations of DSM-IV, and has directed the authors to also discuss and consider alternative approaches to the description of personality disorders and problems. Any student or scholar on personality pathology must read this book." --John F. Clarkin, Ph.D., The New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, Westchester Division, Dept of Psychology "This volume is an essential companion to the DSM-IV for clinicians and researchers concerned with personality disorders and personality theory. Reports by members of the DSM-IV Work Group present the background information and reasons for changes made in the personality disorder definitions. Commentaries by other experts provide a lively and thought-provoking counterpoint. But what is most exciting to the scholar is that all of these details are combined with thoughtful and rich discussions of the key conceptual issues and theoretical perspectives that must be considered in the ongoing effort to build a useful and robust taxonomy of personality pathology." --Marjorie H. Klein, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, Dept. of Psychiatry .,.".Given its thoroughness and comprehensiveness, this is a substantial contribution to the elucidation of a key realm of psychopathology." --"Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic" ...".Given its thoroughness and comprehensiveness, this is a substantial contribution to the elucidation of a key realm of psychopathology." --"Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic"