Schizoid Personality Disorder

Individuals with schizoid personality are characteristically detached from social relationships and show a restricted range of expressed emotions. Their social skills, as would be expected, are weak, and they do not typically express a need for attention or approval. They may be perceived by others as somber and aloof, and often are referred to as "loners."

Although it is not known with certainty that individuals with this personality disorder prefer their isolation, it is thought that, unlike individuals with Avoidant Personality Disorder (APD), schizoids do not secretly wish to be more socially outgoing (Dobbert 2007).

The Schizophrenic Continuum

SPD is considered part of the "schizophrenic spectrum" of mental illness, which also includes Schizotypal Personality Disorder and Schizophrenia. Although Schizophrenia is categorized as a Psychotic Disorder and both Schizoid and Schizotypal are Personality Disorders, all three share symptoms, such as avoidance of social relations and flat emotional affect. An important difference is that people with Schizoid Personality don't typically experience the perceptual distortions, paranoia or illusions associated with schizotypal personality, or the psychotic episodes of schizophrenia (Waldeck 2000).

Occurrence of Schizoid Personality Disorder

SDP is less common than other personality disorders, at least in clinical settings. Its incidence is estimated at less than 1% - 3% of the general population. A precise assessment of prevalence is difficult to provide, because of several changes in diagnostic criteria as well as the unlikelihood that those with SPD will seek treatment. Men are diagnosed more frequently than are women, and also seem to suffer more severe expression of the disorder (Grant, 2004).

Diagnosis of Schizoid Personality Disorder

According to the DSM-IV-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), a patient must fit the following criteria in order to be diagnosed with Schizoid Personality Disorder.

A pervasive pattern of detachment from social relationships and a restricted range of expression of emotions in interpersonal settings, beginning by early adulthood and as indicated by four (or more) of the following:

• neither desires nor enjoys close relationships, including being part of a family
• almost always chooses solitary activities
• has little, if any, interest in having sexual experiences with another person
• takes pleasure in few, if any, activities
• lacks close friends or confidantes other than first-degree relatives
• appears indifferent to the praise or criticism of others
• shows emotional coldness, detachment, or flattened affectivity

Treatment and Prognosis of Schizoid PD

Schizoids usually do not seek treatment on their own and are often coaxed into it by a loved one. Although they are unlikely to change in their lack of desire for social involvement, those with SPD can, with practice, increase their ability to relate to and communicate with others. Even without the desire to develop intimate relationships, individuals with SPD often want to be able to interact more effectively and comfortably (MedlinePlus 2007).This article, originally published in Suite101 online magazine, is a summary of Schizoid Personality Disorder. The contents of this article are not meant to be used for diagnosis and are not a substitute for professional help and counseling.

Sources

American Psychiatric Association APA (2000) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR).

Dobbert, D. (2007) Understanding Personality Disorders: An Introduction. Greenwood Press.

Grant (2004) Landmark Survey Reports on the Prevalence of Personality Disorders in the United States. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Waldeck, T. and Miller, L. S. (2000) Social Skills Deficits in Schizotypal personality Disorder. Psychiatry Research, 93.