Social Factors in the Personality Disorders

Abstract

Personality disorders are pathological amplifications of normal personality traits. Although the form of personality pathology largely depends on underlying traits, which are under strong genetic influence, different social structures tend to reinforce some traits and discourage others. The most important social factors in the personality disorders are those risk or protective factors that influence the process by which traits are amplified. Modernity, most particularly an increasing rate of social change, is acting as a major stressor for individuals with many types of personality structure. The mechanisms most probably involve negative effects on family functioning, as well as a diminishing availability of buffering factors in the larger community.