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Theresa Wilberg - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Level of alexithymia as a measure of Personality dysfunction in Avoidant Personality Disorder.
Nordic journal of psychiatry, 2020Co-Authors: Sebastian Simonsen, Ingeborg Eikenaes, Bo Bach, Elfrida Hartveit Kvarstein, Matthias Gondan, Stine Bjerrum Møller, Theresa WilbergAbstract:Avoidant Personality Disorder (AvPD) is considered a mild to moderate Personality Disorder. However, few studies have focused on the heterogeneity of AvPD in terms of symptoms and severity. In the ...
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Lived Experience of Treatment for Avoidant Personality Disorder: Searching for Courage to Be.
Frontiers in psychology, 2019Co-Authors: Kristine Dahl Sørensen, Theresa Wilberg, Eivind Berthelsen, Marit RåbuAbstract:Objective: To inquire into the subjective experience of treatment by persons diagnosed with Avoidant Personality Disorder. Methods: Persons with Avoidant Personality Disorder (n = 15) were interviewed twice, using semi-structured in-depth interviews, and the responses subject to interpretative-phenomenological analysis. Persons with first-hand experience of Avoidant Personality Disorder were included in the research process. Results: The super ordinate theme emerging from the interviews, "searching for courage to be" encompassed three main themes: "seeking trust, strength, and freedom," "being managed," and "discovering the possibility for change and development." The main theme, "being managed," included the subthemes: "getting a diagnosis," "receiving medication," and "attending therapy." Conclusion: Although this may not be specific to Avoidant Personality Disorder, the findings highlight the importance of being met inter-subjectively as a person with intentionality and agency, even when one does not feel like one. The importance of establishing an emotional bond and emergent trust for open therapeutic collaboration, learning, and becoming able to build courage to begin to approach that which one fears is emphasized.
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Specialized Treatment for Patients with Severe Avoidant Personality Disorder: Experiences from Scandinavia
Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 2019Co-Authors: Sebastian Simonsen, Ingeborg Ullveit-moe Eikenæs, Nana Lund Nørgaard, Eivind Normann-eide, Sophie Juul, Theresa WilbergAbstract:Avoidant Personality Disorder (AvPD) is a common and heterogeneous Disorder. In spite of this, few studies have focused on treatment, and treatment guidelines have not been developed. In Scandinavian countries many patients with low levels of AvPD are treated sufficiently in private practices or in briefer psychiatric treatments, often for anxiety or depression. However, patients with higher levels of Personality dysfunction are often not helped sufficiently by such treatments. In this paper we describe a longer and more intense treatment for severe AvPD based on a combination of Mentalization-Based Group Psychotherapy and Metacognitive Interpersonal Individual Therapy. This treatment has been piloted in Norway and Denmark, and we provide a case example of a successful treatment of a patient, “Julie” treated at Stolpegaard Psychotherapy Centre in Denmark. Based on our review of the literature and experiences from the pilot studies, we also provide some observations and general guidelines about important aspects of treatment of severe AvPD.
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Struggling to be a person: Lived experience of Avoidant Personality Disorder
Journal of clinical psychology, 2019Co-Authors: Kristine Dahl Sørensen, Theresa Wilberg, Marit Råbu, Eivind BerthelsenAbstract:Objective To better understand the subjective lived experience of persons diagnosed with Avoidant Personality Disorder (AVPD). Methods Persons with an AVPD (N = 15) were interviewed twice with semistructured qualitative interviews and analyzed through interpretative-phenomenological analysis. Persons with first-hand experience of AVPD were included in the research process. Results The superordinate theme, "struggling to be a person," encompassed two main themes. The first, "fear and longing," incorporated the subthemes "longing for connection," "dreading to get close" and "being alone, for better or for worse." The second main theme, "a doubting self," included the subthemes "feeling insecure" and "searching for a sense of self." Conclusions The findings shed light on how the reflexive selves of people with AVPD might struggle with sense-making, sense of agency, and identity. This study underscores how impaired tacit knowledge of social behavior can hamper the process of being a person in relation to others.
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Oxford Medicine Online - The Neurobiological Basis of Avoidant Personality Disorder
Oxford Medicine Online, 2018Co-Authors: Theresa Wilberg, Kenneth SilkAbstract:This chapter reports neurobiological findings relevant to Avoidant Personality Disorder (AvPD) and focuses on several areas and dimensions assumed to be of special interest with respect to it. Because there are many different psychiatric Disorders, cognitive styles, and interpersonal patterns that can overlap with AvPD, the chapter is selective in what areas are considered. The chapter begins with a discussion of biological findings that pertain to the diagnosis of AvPD, summarizing developments in genetics, neurotransmitters, and neuroimaging. It then turns to areas of temperament, emotional dysfunction, attachment, and stress regulation. Because these areas are applicable across all Personality Disorders, the chapter emphasizes how they apply more specifically to AvPD.
Masahiro Asai - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Avoidant Personality Disorder and taijin kyoufu sociocultural implications of the who adamha international study of Personality Disorders in japan
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 1996Co-Authors: Yutaka Ono, Kimio Yoshimura, R. Sueoka, Keita Yamauchi, Hiroko Mizushima, T. Momose, Kazuhito Nakamura, K. Okonogi, Masahiro AsaiAbstract:This paper discusses the characteristics of Avoidant Personality Disorder in a cultural context based on the Japanese concept of taijin kyoufu as well as that of DSM-III-R and DSM-IV social phobia. Sixty-six patients were given the International Personality Disorder Examination and questionnaires including the Beck Anxiety Inventory. Among the 23 DSM-III-R Personality Disorder patients, 8 patients were diagnosed as having Avoidant Personality Disorder. Six of them were suffering from taijin kyoufu symptoms. Among 27 ICD Personality Disorder patients, 22 patients were diagnosed as having ICD anxious Personality Disorder. All DSM Avoidant patients were included in the ICD anxious group. These findings suggest that patients with Avoidant Personality Disorder have had a long history of difficulties and share common Personality problems with a milder form of taijin kyoufu, which is conceptually different from social phobia.
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Avoidant Personality Disorder and taijin kyoufu: Sociocultural implications of the WHO/ADAMHA International Study of Personality Disorders in Japan
Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica, 1996Co-Authors: Yutaka Ono, Kimio Yoshimura, R. Sueoka, Keita Yamauchi, Hiroko Mizushima, T. Momose, Kazuhito Nakamura, K. Okonogi, Masahiro AsaiAbstract:This paper discusses the characteristics of Avoidant Personality Disorder in a cultural context based on the Japanese concept of taijin kyoufu as well as that of DSM-III-R and DSM-IV social phobia. Sixty-six patients were given the International Personality Disorder Examination and questionnaires including the Beck Anxiety Inventory. Among the 23 DSM-III-R Personality Disorder patients, 8 patients were diagnosed as having Avoidant Personality Disorder. Six of them were suffering from taijin kyoufu symptoms. Among 27 ICD Personality Disorder patients, 22 patients were diagnosed as having ICD anxious Personality Disorder. All DSM Avoidant patients were included in the ICD anxious group. These findings suggest that patients with Avoidant Personality Disorder have had a long history of difficulties and share common Personality problems with a milder form of taijin kyoufu, which is conceptually different from social phobia.
Ingeborg Eikenaes - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Level of alexithymia as a measure of Personality dysfunction in Avoidant Personality Disorder.
Nordic journal of psychiatry, 2020Co-Authors: Sebastian Simonsen, Ingeborg Eikenaes, Bo Bach, Elfrida Hartveit Kvarstein, Matthias Gondan, Stine Bjerrum Møller, Theresa WilbergAbstract:Avoidant Personality Disorder (AvPD) is considered a mild to moderate Personality Disorder. However, few studies have focused on the heterogeneity of AvPD in terms of symptoms and severity. In the ...
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attachment styles in patients with Avoidant Personality Disorder compared with social phobia
Psychology and Psychotherapy-theory Research and Practice, 2016Co-Authors: Ingeborg Eikenaes, Geir Pedersen, Theresa WilbergAbstract:Objectives Avoidant Personality Disorder (AvPD) and social phobia (SP) are common, closely related conditions. Little is known about the underlying processes related to the social discomfort of subjects with AvPD and SP. Both Disorders are associated with interpersonal problems. An attachment perspective may shed light on similarities and differences in close relationships between the Disorders. The aim of the study was to compare self-reported attachment styles in patients with AvPD and SP. We expected that patients with AvPD would have more attachment anxiety and avoidance and more often a Fearful attachment style, compared with SP. Design This is a cross-sectional multisite study of 90 adult patients with AvPD and SP. Patients with AvPD with and without SP (AvPD group) were compared with patients with SP without AvPD (SP group). Methods Patients were assessed using structured diagnostic interviews and self-reporting questionnaires, including Experiences in Close Relationships (ECR). The ECR dimensions, Anxiety and Avoidance, and the new described five factors of the ECR were used. Results The AvPD group had higher levels of attachment anxiety than the SP group, especially for the sub-factors Anxiety for abandonment and Separation frustration. The diagnostic groups did not differ in levels of avoidance. Anxiety for abandonment was still associated with AvPD after controlling for symptom Disorders and the criteria of other Personality Disorders. A Fearful attachment style was more frequent among patients with AvPD. Conclusions The results indicate AvPD is associated with more attachment anxiety than SP. Fear of abandonment may play a significant role in the AvPD pathology. Practitioner points This is the first study to compare attachment styles in patients with Avoidant Personality Disorder (AvPD) and social phobia (SP). The AvPD group had higher attachment-related anxiety than the SP group, and anxiety was most pronounced for the fear of abandonment. Fear of abandonment may play an important role in the AvPD pathology.
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Correction: Avoidant Personality Disorder versus Social Phobia: The Significance of Childhood Neglect.
PloS one, 2015Co-Authors: Ingeborg Eikenaes, Jens Egeland, Benjamin Hummelen, Theresa WilbergAbstract:The legend for Fig 1, “Attachment style in Avoidant Personality Disorder (AvPD, n = 70) and Social phobia (SP, n = 20)” is incorrect. The complete, correct Fig 1 legend can be viewed here. Fig 1 Self-reported parental style in the AvPD and SP groups.
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Avoidant Personality Disorder versus Social Phobia: The Significance of Childhood Neglect
PloS one, 2015Co-Authors: Ingeborg Eikenaes, Jens Egeland, Benjamin Hummelen, Theresa WilbergAbstract:Objectives Avoidant Personality Disorder (AvPD) and social phobia (SP) are common Disorders both in the community and in clinical settings. Whether the two Disorders represent different severity levels of social anxiety Disorder is currently in dispute. The relationship between AvPD and SP is probably more complex than previously assumed. Several environmental, temperamental, and constitutional factors may play a role in the etiology of AvPD and SP. Better knowledge about childhood experiences may shed light on similarities and differences between the two Disorders. The aim of this study was to compare self-reported childhood experiences in AvPD and SP patients.
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Personality functioning in patients with Avoidant Personality Disorder and social phobia.
Journal of personality disorders, 2013Co-Authors: Ingeborg Eikenaes, Benjamin Hummelen, Gun Abrahamsen, Helene Andrea, Theresa WilbergAbstract:Avoidant Personality Disorder (APD) and social phobia (SP) are closely related, such that they are suggested to represent different severity levels of one social anxiety Disorder. This cross-sectional study aimed to compare patients with APD to patients with SP, with particular focus on Personality dysfunction. Ninety-one adult patients were examined by diagnostic interviews and self-report measures, including the Index of Self-Esteem and the Severity Indices of Personality Problems. Patients were categorized in three groups; SP without APD (n = 20), APD without SP (n = 15), and APD with SP (n = 56). Compared to patients with SP without APD, patients with APD reported more symptom Disorders, psychosocial problems, criteria of Personality Disorders, and Personality dysfunction regarding self-esteem, identity and relational problems. These results indicate that APD involves more severe and broader areas of Personality dysfunction than SP, supporting the conceptualization of APD as a Personality Disorder as proposed for DSM-5.
Kenneth S. Kendler - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Relationships Among Avoidant Personality Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, and Normative Personality Traits: A Twin Study.
Journal of personality disorders, 2018Co-Authors: Audun Welander-vatn, Ted Reichborn-kjennerud, Nikolai Olavi Czajkowski, Kenneth S. Kendler, Fartein Ask Torvik, Gun Peggy Knudsen, Eivind YstromAbstract:Avoidant Personality Disorder (AvPD) and social anxiety Disorder (SAD) share risk factors to a substantial degree, and both are characterized by the experience of anxiety in social situations. The authors investigated whether these Disorders are differentially related to the Big Five Personality traits. They also examined the underlying genetic and environmental influences on these associations. A population-based sample of 1,761 female twins was interviewed at baseline, and 1,471 of these were re-interviewed 10 years later. Associations between AvPD, SAD, and Personality traits were investigated with multivariate biometric analyses. The authors found that AvPD and SAD are differentially related to several Personality traits at the phenotypic, genetic, and environmental level. The genetic and environmental liability to AvPD could be fully accounted for by the genetic and environmental factors influencing SAD and Personality. The findings may increase current etiological understanding of these Disorders and inform future classification and treatment efforts.
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Avoidant Personality Disorder symptoms in first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients predict performance on neurocognitive measures: the UCLA family study
Schizophrenia Research, 2010Co-Authors: D.l. Fogelson, Kenneth S. Kendler, R.a. Asarnow, Catherine A. Sugar, Kenneth L. Subotnik, Kristen C. Jacobson, M. C. Neale, Heidi Kuppinger, Keith H. NuechterleinAbstract:Whether Avoidant Personality Disorder symptoms are related to neurocognitive impairments that aggregate in relatives of schizophrenics is unknown. We report the relationship between Avoidant Personality Disorder symptoms and neurocognitive performance in the first-degree relatives of probands with schizophrenia. 367 first-degree relatives of probands with schizophrenia and 245 relatives of community controls were interviewed for the presence of Avoidant Personality symptoms and symptoms of paranoid and schizotypal Personality Disorders and administered neurocognitive measures. Relationships between neurocognitive measures and Avoidant symptoms were analyzed using linear mixed models. Avoidant dimensional scores predicted performance on the span of apprehension (SPAN), 3-7 Continuous Performance Test (3-7 CPT), and Trail Making Test (TMT-B) in schizophrenia relatives. These relationships remained significant on the SPAN even after adjustment for paranoid or schizotypal dimensional scores and on the TMT-B after adjustment for paranoid dimensional scores. Moreover, in a second set of analyses comparing schizophrenia relatives to controls there were significant or trending differences in the degree of the relationship between Avoidant symptoms and each of these neurocognitive measures even after adjustments for paranoid and schizotypal dimensional scores. The substantial correlation between Avoidant and schizotypal symptoms suggests that these Personality Disorders are not independent. Avoidant and in some cases schizotypal dimensional scores are significant predictors of variability in these neurocognitive measures. In all analyses, higher levels of Avoidant symptoms were associated with worse performance on the neurocognitive measures in relatives of schizophrenia probands. These results support the hypothesis that Avoidant Personality Disorder may be a schizophrenia spectrum phenotype.
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The Relationship Between Avoidant Personality Disorder and Social Phobia: A Population-Based Twin Study
The American journal of psychiatry, 2007Co-Authors: Ted Reichborn-kjennerud, Nikolai Olavi Czajkowski, Svenn Torgersen, Michael C. Neale, Ragnhild E. Ørstavik, Kristian Tambs, Kenneth S. KendlerAbstract:Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the sources of comorbidity for social phobia and dimensional representations of Avoidant Personality Disorder by estimating to what extent the two Disorders are influenced by common genetic and shared or unique environmental factors versus the extent to which these factors are specific to each Disorder. Method: Young adult female-female twin pairs (N=1,427) from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health Twin Panel were assessed at personal interview for Avoidant Personality Disorder and social phobia using the Structured Interview for DSM-IV Personality and the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Bivariate Cholesky models were fitted using the Mx statistical program. Results: The best-fitting model included additive genetic and unique environmental factors only. Avoidant Personality Disorder and social phobia were influenced by the same genetic factors, whereas the environmental factors influencing the two Disorders were uncorrelated. Conclusions: Within the limits of statistical power, these results suggest that there is a common genetic vulnerability to Avoidant Personality Disorder and social phobia in women. An individual with high genetic liability will develop Avoidant Personality Disorder versus social phobia entirely as a result of the environmental risk factors unique to each Disorder. The results are in accordance with the hypothesis that psychobiological dimensions span the axis I and axis II Disorders.
Benjamin Hummelen - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Correction: Avoidant Personality Disorder versus Social Phobia: The Significance of Childhood Neglect.
PloS one, 2015Co-Authors: Ingeborg Eikenaes, Jens Egeland, Benjamin Hummelen, Theresa WilbergAbstract:The legend for Fig 1, “Attachment style in Avoidant Personality Disorder (AvPD, n = 70) and Social phobia (SP, n = 20)” is incorrect. The complete, correct Fig 1 legend can be viewed here. Fig 1 Self-reported parental style in the AvPD and SP groups.
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Avoidant Personality Disorder versus Social Phobia: The Significance of Childhood Neglect
PloS one, 2015Co-Authors: Ingeborg Eikenaes, Jens Egeland, Benjamin Hummelen, Theresa WilbergAbstract:Objectives Avoidant Personality Disorder (AvPD) and social phobia (SP) are common Disorders both in the community and in clinical settings. Whether the two Disorders represent different severity levels of social anxiety Disorder is currently in dispute. The relationship between AvPD and SP is probably more complex than previously assumed. Several environmental, temperamental, and constitutional factors may play a role in the etiology of AvPD and SP. Better knowledge about childhood experiences may shed light on similarities and differences between the two Disorders. The aim of this study was to compare self-reported childhood experiences in AvPD and SP patients.
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Personality functioning in patients with Avoidant Personality Disorder and social phobia.
Journal of personality disorders, 2013Co-Authors: Ingeborg Eikenaes, Benjamin Hummelen, Gun Abrahamsen, Helene Andrea, Theresa WilbergAbstract:Avoidant Personality Disorder (APD) and social phobia (SP) are closely related, such that they are suggested to represent different severity levels of one social anxiety Disorder. This cross-sectional study aimed to compare patients with APD to patients with SP, with particular focus on Personality dysfunction. Ninety-one adult patients were examined by diagnostic interviews and self-report measures, including the Index of Self-Esteem and the Severity Indices of Personality Problems. Patients were categorized in three groups; SP without APD (n = 20), APD without SP (n = 15), and APD with SP (n = 56). Compared to patients with SP without APD, patients with APD reported more symptom Disorders, psychosocial problems, criteria of Personality Disorders, and Personality dysfunction regarding self-esteem, identity and relational problems. These results indicate that APD involves more severe and broader areas of Personality dysfunction than SP, supporting the conceptualization of APD as a Personality Disorder as proposed for DSM-5.
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The relationship between Avoidant Personality Disorder and social phobia.
Comprehensive psychiatry, 2007Co-Authors: Benjamin Hummelen, Theresa Wilberg, Geir Pedersen, Sigmund KarterudAbstract:The main explanatory hypothesis for the distinction between social phobia (SP) and Avoidant Personality Disorder (APD) has been the severity continuum hypothesis, stating that APD only differs from SP in terms of severity of dysfunction and symptomatic distress, that is, social anxiety and depressive symptoms. This study aimed at a comprehensive evaluation of this hypothesis in a large sample (n = 2192) of thoroughly assessed patients, most of whom had a diagnosis of Personality Disorder. Social phobia was stronger associated with APD than with other Personality Disorders, and APD was stronger associated with SP than with other symptom Disorders. Social phobia-pure patients had a higher level of global functioning and lower levels of general symptom distress and interpersonal problems than APD-pure patients. The 2 groups were similar on domains that pertain to social anxiety and introversion, but APD was associated with a broader array of symptoms and interpersonal problems and was substantially lower on the Personality domain of conscientiousness. Avoidant Personality Disorder was stronger associated with eating Disorders, and SP was stronger associated with panic Disorder. The APD diagnosis seems to capture a broader constellation of symptoms and Personality features pointing toward more severe Personality dysfunction. Our findings suggest that the severity continuum hypothesis lacks specificity and exploratory power to account for both similarities and differences between SP and APD.
