[FRIAM] The root of personality disorders

[glen ☣]

Well, that confirms that it is more like a layered system, even if it's simply self-reported or all in the diagnoser's head.  The last 2 sentences of Kernberg's description directly imply constructive causation.  But regardless of any competence with or understanding of this particular domain, when we're talking about whether Trump already had the traits at age so-and-so before being sent to military school, and whether his subsequent experiences exacerbated the problem ... and (like the skeptical blog entry I posted) whether the traits are more heavily context-depenent, we're fundamentally considering multi-layered explanations.

On 01/20/2017 04:31 PM, Frank Wimberly wrote:
> "What Frank says below is of type (1).  What Jochen (and others) have talked about before (childhood experiences, etc.) is more like type (2)."
> 
> Type 2?  The authentic selfhood of the child is not authenticated by the parent(s).  According to psycoanalyst Otto Kernberg:
> 
> "Presenting excessive self-absorption usually coinciding with a superficially smooth and effective social adaptation, by with serious distortions in their internal relationships with other people. They present various combinations of intense ambitiousness, grandiose fantasies, feelings of inferiority, overdepedence on external admiration and acclaim.  Along with feelings of boredom and emptiness, and continuous search for gratification of strivings for brilliance, wealth, power and beauty, there are serious deficiencies in their capacity to love and to be concerned about others.  This lack of capacity for empathic understanding of others often comes as a surprise considering their superficially appropriate social adjustment."
> 
> As for a detailed elucidation of causes, you have to read a highly technical book such as Kohut.


-- 
☣ glen