Understanding Personality Disorders: An Introduction

(Hardback)

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Description

Personality-disordered people are not uncommon in our neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, or even our homes. They include people who are persistently paranoid, obsessive-compulsive, antisocial, or overly dependent. Most of them do not realize the hardships they create for themselves and their families. This book is an introductory guide for those who live and work around personality- disordered people, and for general readers seeking illustrations of the disorders. Dobbert illustrates warning signs that can be missed and walks readers through scenarios that are common with personality-disordered people. He explains how such maladies might develop, and most important, how they can be successfully addressed.

Reviews

Dobbert has written a useful and easy-to-read text on personality disorders, which are often misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or ignored completely. The introduction is brief, to the point, and right on target: by outlining the significant differences between personality disorders and other disorder categories, the author helps the reader place such disorders within the full range of human behavior. Dobbert incorporates criteria from the DSM-IV-TR, thus providing a useful comparison of symptoms to diagnostic criteria within the manual. This reader's main concern is the tendency for readers to find described disorders around every corner or in every friend, acquaintance, or family member. However, Dobbert focuses clearly on the criteria and the enduring nature of these disorders, and so does the best he can to ensure that the reader does not fall victim to this version of medical student syndrome. Those studying or engaged in counseling, clinical work, or social work will find this book valuable. Recommended. Graduate students and professionals. * Choice *
An excellent survery highly recommended as an authoritative introduction for all walks of life. * The Bookwatch *
[B]ursting with information, Dr. Duane Dobbert's new book is a winner as a brief but comprehensive reference.This new book is an important reference manual in helping the professional and the layperson better understand PDs. Dobbert does two particularly useful things with this book: interprets DSM criteria and presents case study scenarios.This book is a reference manual with illustrative case studies. If you find that you are frequently looking up information on Personality Disorders, it is worth owning, and, since PDs often travel in groups, an individual can show symptoms of more than one type. It is nice to have one book that covers them all. * Suite101.com *
Writing for general readers, Dobbert explains the nature of personality disorders, then details 11 specific disorders. He uses scenarios of situations common to people with personality disorders to point out warning signs, and to explain how such disorders develop and how they can be successfully addressed. * SciTech Book News *

Author Bio

Duane L. Dobbert is professor and coordinator of criminal forensic studies at Florida Gulf Coast University. He is series editor for the Praeger series in Forensic Psychology and author of Praeger's Halting the Sexual Predators Among Us.