Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gxg78 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T10:46:14.377Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Psychotherapy of an older adult with an avoidant personality disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 September 2010

S. P. J. van Alphen
S. P. J. van Alphen*
Affiliation:
Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Mondriaan Hospital, Heerlen-Maastricht, The Netherlands
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Dr. S.P.J. (Bas) van Alphen, PhD, Psychologist at Mondriaan Hospital, Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Heerlen-Maastricht, the Netherlands. Phone: +31 45 5736363; Fax: +31 45 5736400. Email: [email protected].
Get access

Abstract

This case describes the differential diagnosis and treatment of a 70-year-old man with an avoidant personality disorder. It illustrates that diagnostic assessment and treatment of personality problems in the elderly are possible in mental health care. It demonstrates that multiple stand-alone treatment modules can form part of a single course of adaptation-focused treatment of personality disorders. An interpersonal approach forms an important basis for tackling the typical interpersonal difficulties that occur in axis-II disorders.

Keywords

personality disordersolder adultsdiagnosispsychotherapy
Type
Case Report
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 23 , Issue 4 , May 2011 , pp. 662 - 665
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

American Psychiatric Association (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th edn, text revision). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.Google Scholar
Barendse, H. P. J. and Thissen, A. J. C. (2006). Manual of the Hetero-Anamnestic Personality questionnaire (HAP) [in Dutch]. Schijndel: Barendse & Thissen.Google Scholar
de Ridder, D. T. D. and van Heck, G. L. (1997). Dutch edition of the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations. Lisse: Swets Test Publishers.Google Scholar
Duijssens, I. J. and Spinhoven, P. (2001). Dutch Edition of the Shortened Temperament and Character Inventory. Leiderdorp: DATEC.Google Scholar
Folstein, M. F., Folstein, S. E. and McHugh, P. R. (1975). “Mini-mental state”: a practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 12, 189–198.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hoekstra, H., De Fruyt, F. and Ormel, J. (2003). Dutch Edition of the NEO-FFI. Lisse: Swets and Zeitlinger.Google Scholar
Raven, J. C. (1936). Mental tests used in genetic studies: the performance of related individuals on tests mainly educative and mainly reproductive. Unpublished MSc thesis, University of London.Google Scholar
van Alphen, S. P. J., Engelen, G. J. J. A., Kuin, Y., Hoijtink, H. J. A. and Derksen, J. J. L. (2006). A preliminary study of the diagnostic accuracy of the Gerontological Personality Disorders Scale (GPS). International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 21, 862–868.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
van Alphen, S. P. J. et al. (2010). Age-specific aspects in diagnosis and treatment of personality disorders in older adults: a Delphi study among Dutch and Belgian experts. Unpublished paper available from author.Google Scholar