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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffAlthough the precise cause of personality disorders isn't known, certain factors seem to increase the risk of developing or triggering personality disorders, including:
- A family history of personality disorders or other mental illness
- Low socioeconomic status
- Verbal, physical or sexual abuse during childhood
- Neglect during childhood
- An unstable or chaotic family life during childhood
- Being diagnosed with childhood conduct disorder
- Loss of parents through death or traumatic divorce during childhood
Personality disorders often begin in childhood and last through adulthood. There's reluctance to diagnose personality disorders in a child, though, because the patterns of behavior and thinking could simply reflect adolescent experimentation or temporary developmental phases.
References
- Personality disorders. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed May 11, 2010.
- Personality disorders. In: Hales RE, et al., eds. The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Psychiatry. 5th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2008. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed May 11, 2010.
- Lenzenweger MF. Epidemiology of personality disorders. Psychiatric Clinics of North America. 2008;31:395.
- Cohen P. Child development and personality disorder. Psychiatric Clinics of North America. 2008;31:477.
- Devens M. Personality disorders. Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice. 2007;34:445.
- Silk KR. Personality disorders. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 11, 2010.
- Skodol AE, et al. The future of personality disorders in DSM-V? American Journal of Psychiatry. 2009;166:388.
- Livesly WJ. Research trends and directions in the study of personality disorder. Psychiatric Clinics of North America. 2008;31:545.
- Staying well when you have a mental health condition. Mental Health America. http://www.nmha.org/go/mental-health-month/staying-well-when-you-have-a-mental-illness. Accessed May 11, 2010.
- Shipman K, et al. Mental health treatment of child abuse and neglect: The promise of evidence-based practice. Pediatric Clinics of North America. 2009;56:417.
- Hall-Flavin DK (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 12, 2010.
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