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Antisocial personality disorder is marked by disregard for others’ rights, impulsivity, and deceit. It involves manipulative or exploitative behavior, often violating social norms. The nurse’s behavior lacks the callousness or criminality typical of antisocial traits.

Paranoid personality disorder involves suspicion and mistrust of others’ motives. While the nurse’s response may seem defensive, it lacks the pervasive distrust, hypervigilance, and belief that others are out to harm or deceive her, which are central to paranoid traits.

Passive–aggressive personality traits include indirect resistance, procrastination, and covert obstruction. The nurse’s response is overtly controlling and direct, not subtly undermining or avoiding confrontation. Her behavior is assertive and rule-bound, not passive or evasive.

Antisocial traits involve disregard for others’ rights, deceit, and impulsivity. Donna’s behavior lacks the manipulative, exploitative, or rule-breaking tendencies typical of antisocial personality disorder.

Paranoid personality traits include suspicion and mistrust of others’ motives. Donna does not exhibit pervasive distrust or interpret Katie’s actions as malicious or threatening, which would be necessary for a paranoid diagnosis.

Obsessive–compulsive personality traits involve rigidity and perfectionism. Donna’s actions are not driven by a need for control or order but by emotional retaliation. Her behavior lacks the hallmark inflexibility and rule-bound thinking of obsessive–compulsive traits.

The risk of suicide is not low in personality disorders. In fact, individuals with borderline personality disorder, in particular, have a high risk of self-harm and suicide attempts, often driven by emotional dysregulation and interpersonal instability.

Personality disorders are not considered purely psychological. Neurobiological, genetic, and environmental factors all contribute to their development. Structural and functional brain differences, especially in the prefrontal cortex and limbic system, have been implicated in several personality disorders.

The complexity of care for individuals with personality disorders is often high. Their behaviors can challenge therapeutic boundaries, provoke countertransference, and require consistent, structured interventions. These disorders are among the most difficult to treat due to their chronicity and resistance to change.

Antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic disorders belong to Cluster B, not Cluster C. These disorders are marked by dramatic and erratic behaviors, not anxiety or fearfulness.

Avoidant, dependent, and obsessive–compulsive disorders are not part of Cluster A, which includes paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal disorders. Cluster A is defined by eccentric and socially detached behaviors, not anxiety-driven traits.

Antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic disorders are correctly grouped together but belong to Cluster B, not Cluster A. Cluster A includes disorders with odd or eccentric behaviors, not dramatic or emotional traits.

Anger control in borderline personality disorder requires emotion regulation strategies, not just confrontation. While boundary-setting may reduce acting out, it does not directly address the underlying dysregulation.

Confrontation may initially increase anxiety, especially in clients with abandonment fears. Anxiety reduction requires validation, consistency, and therapeutic rapport, not direct confrontation alone.

Setting realistic goals involves collaborative planning and psychoeducation. Confrontation may clarify expectations but does not inherently help the client develop goal-setting skills or motivation.

While anxiety may be present, it is not the defining challenge in the orientation phase. Emotional dysregulation is more prominent during crises or perceived abandonment, not necessarily at the start of the relationship.

Difficulty terminating sessions is more characteristic of the termination phase, where separation anxiety and fear of loss become pronounced. It is not the primary challenge during orientation.

Although acceptance of diagnosis may be limited, it is not unique to borderline personality disorder and does not interfere with the orientation phase as significantly as the inability to form mutual therapeutic goals.

While manipulativeness may be seen in antisocial or narcissistic personality disorders, it is not a universal trait across all personality disorders. It is not a core diagnostic feature for the broader category.

A desire for relationships varies. Some, like avoidant or dependent types, crave connection, while others, like schizoid or paranoid types, may avoid intimacy. This trait is not consistent across all personality disorders.

An increased need for approval is characteristic of dependent personality disorder but not shared across all types. Others, such as narcissistic or schizoid individuals, may show little concern for others’ approval.