Am J Psychiatry 1989; 146:1022-1026
Copyright © 1989 by American Psychiatric Association
Self-defeating personality disorder and DSM-III-R: development of the diagnostic criteria
F Kass, RL Spitzer, JB Williams and T Widiger
Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032.
One of the major controversies during the development of DSM-III-R was the
possible inclusion of self-defeating personality disorder. The authors
review the clinical literature that serves as the conceptual basis for this
diagnosis. The development of the diagnostic criteria is described,
including the rationale for specific criteria and the objections raised by
opponents of the category. The authors describe how some of these
objections led to changes in the diagnostic criteria in an attempt to
distinguish self-defeating personality disorder from normal reactions to
victimization and abuse.
