Personality Disorders in Adolescents: Risk Factors and Interventions

Description

Page: 1660-1663

Radhika Parihar (Department of Psychology, The University of Massachusetts Boston, Massachusetts)

Personality disorders (PDs) emerging in adolescence present a major clinical and public-health challenge because of their early onset, high morbidity, and tendency to persist into adulthood. Diagnosing PDs in adolescents is controversial because adolescence involves normative identity formation and emotional variability; nevertheless, contemporary evidence indicates that reliable diagnoses can be made and that early intervention improves short- and long-term outcomes. This article reviews the epidemiology and diagnostic issues, summarizes the empirical literature on risk and protective factors (genetic, neurobiological, developmental, familial, & social), and synthesizes evidence for interventions-psychological, family-based, and adjunctive pharmacotherapy-focused especially on borderline personality disorder (BPD), the most studied adolescent PD. Finally, we outline best-practice recommendations for early detection, treatment planning, and systems-level responses aimed at prevention and improved functional outcomes.