Personality disorders are grouped into one of three clusters based on common characteristics. Cluster B represents the dramatic and erratic.

What Is a Personality Disorder?

People with psychological personality disorders have traits that cause them to feel and behave in socially distressing ways. Depending on the specific disorder, these personalities are generally described in negative terms such as hostile, detached, needy, antisocial or obsessive (Dobbert 2007).

Classification of Personality Disorders

There are currently 10 conditions that are considered personality disorders, some of which have very little in common. Mental health professionals group those personality disorders that share characteristics into one of three clusters:

Cluster A Personality Disorders are those considered to be marked by odd, eccentric behavior. Paranoid, Schizoid and Schizotypal Personality Disorders are in this category.

Cluster B Personality Disorders are evidenced by dramatic, erratic behaviors and include Histrionic, Narcissistic, Antisocial and Borderline Personality Disorders.

Cluster C Personality Disorders are distinguished by the anxious, fearful behavior commonly seen in Obsessive-Compulsive, Avoidant and Dependent Personality Disorders.

Cluster B Personality Disorders

Antisocial Personality Disorder

APD is characterized by lack of empathy or conscience, a difficulty controlling impulses and manipulative behaviors. This disorder is sometimes also referred to as psychopathy or sociopathy, however, Antisocial Personality Disorder is the clinical terminology used for diagnosis (APA 2000).

The term antisocial is commonly misunderstood as referring to someone who has poor social skills, but usually the opposite is true. Psychopaths can be charming, and are adept at focusing their cold, calculating efforts solely on self-gratification, typically at the expense of others (Hare 1999, Black 1999).

Borderline Personality Disorder

According to the DSM-TR-IV, psychology's diagnostic "bible," BPD interferes with an individual's ability to regulate emotion. The characteristic emotional instability results in dramatic and abrupt shifts in mood, impulsivity, poor self-image and tumultuous interpersonal relationships. People with this disorder are prone to unpredictable outbursts of anger, which sometimes manifests in self-injurious behavior. Borderlines are highly sensitive to rejection, and fear of abandonment may result in frantic efforts to avoid being left alone, such a suicide threats and attempts (Friedham 2004, Oldham 2004).

Histrionic Personality Disorder

To be histrionic is to behave melodramatically—over the top. People with the psychological disorder HPD, have a personality based on histrionic behavior; constantly displaying an excessive level of emotionality.

Histrionics crave the limelight and constantly seek attention and approval. They tend to dominate conversations using grandiose language and frequent interruptions. Those with HPD can be manipulative—negative attention being better than no attention at all (Dobbert 2007, Horowitz 2001).

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

NPD is typified by grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy. Narcissism occurs in a spectrum of severity, but the pathologically narcissistic tend to be extremely self-absorbed, intolerant of others’ perspectives, insensitive to others’ needs and indifferent to the effect of their own egocentric behavior.

It is not uncommon for persons with this disorder to frequently compare themselves to the accomplished, well-known and well-to-do. They feel entitled to great praise, attention, and deferential treatment by others. Those with NPD crave the limelight and are quick to abandon situations in which they are not the center of attention. Defects of empathy may cause narcissists to misperceive other people's speech and actions, causing them to believe that they are well-liked and respected despite a history of negative personal interactions (Kernberg 2003, 2004, APA 2000).

More Information on Personality Disorders

There are numerous on-line and in print resources with additional information on personality disorders, including: Psychology Prof Online, The Mayo Clinic: Mental Health Center and the article Types of Personality Disorders: Borderline, Narcissistic, Obsessive-Compulsive & Associated Clusters.

This article is a brief summary of Cluster B personality disorders. The contents of this article are not meant to be used for diagnosis and are not a substitute for professional help and counseling.

Additional PD Sources

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

Black, D. (1999) Bad Boys, Bad Men: Confronting Antisocial Personality Disorder. Oxford University Press.

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

Friedel, R. O. Hoffman, P. D., Penney, D. and Woodward, P. (2004) Borderline Personality Disorder Demystified: An Essential Guide for Understanding and Living with BPD. Marlowe & Co.

Hare, R. D. (1999) Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths among Us. Guiford Press.

Kernberg, Otto (2004) Aggressivity, Narcissism, and Self-Destructiveness in the Psychotherapeutic Relationship: New Developments in the Psychopathology and Psychotherapy of Severe Personality Disorders.

Kernberg, Otto and Akhtar, Salman. (2003) Broken Structures: Severe Personality Disorders and Their Treatment.

Oldham, J. (2004) Borderline Personality Disorder: An Overview. Psychiatric Times, 21, 8.