{"id":1707,"date":"2020-09-09T14:37:59","date_gmt":"2020-09-09T14:37:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/abnormalpsych\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=1707"},"modified":"2022-07-26T20:06:59","modified_gmt":"2022-07-26T20:06:59","slug":"schizoid-personality-disorder","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-abnormalpsych\/chapter\/schizoid-personality-disorder\/","title":{"raw":"Schizoid Personality Disorder","rendered":"Schizoid Personality Disorder"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\r\n<h3>Learning Objectives<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Describe the characteristics and diagnosis of schizoid personality disorder<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\nWe've learned about paranoid personality disorder, now let's take a look at another Cluster A disorder: <strong>schizoid personality disorder<\/strong>. Persons with schizoid personality disorder are considered classic loners.\r\n<table summary=\"A table provides basic descriptions of the DSM-5 personality disorders and their associated clusters. Cluster A includes Paranoid (harbors a pervasive and unjustifiable suspiciousness and mistrust of others; reluctant to confide in or become close to others; reads hidden demeaning or threatening meaning into benign remarks or events; takes offense easily and bears grudges; not due to schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders), Schizoid (lacks interest and desire to form relationships with others; aloof and shows emotional coldness and detachment; indifferent to approval or criticism of others; lacks close friends or confidants; not due to schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders, not an autism spectrum disorder), and Schizotypal (exhibits eccentricities in thought, perception, emotion, speech, and behavior; shows suspiciousness or paranoia; has unusual perceptual experiences; speech is often idiosyncratic; displays inappropriate emotions; lacks friends or confidants; not due to schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder, or to autism spectrum disorder). Cluster B includes Antisocial (continuously violates the rights of others; history of antisocial tendencies prior to age 15; often lies, fights, and has problems with the law; impulsive and fails to think ahead; can be deceitful and manipulative in order to gain profit or pleasure; irresponsible and often fails to hold down a job or pay financial debts; lacks feelings for others and remorse over misdeeds), Histrionic (excessively overdramatic, emotional, and theatrical; feels uncomfortable when not the center of others\u2019 attention; behavior is often inappropriately seductive or provocative; speech is highly emotional but often vague and diffuse; emotions are shallow and often shift rapidly; may alienate friends with demands for constant attention), Narcissistic (overinflated and unjustified sense of self-importance and preoccupied with fantasies of success; believes he is entitled to special treatment from others; shows arrogant attitudes and behaviors; takes advantage of others; lacks empathy), and Borderline (unstable in self-image, mood, and behavior; cannot tolerate being alone and experiences chronic feelings of emptiness; unstable and intense relationships with others; behavior is impulsive, unpredictable, and sometimes self-damaging; shows inappropriate and intense anger; makes suicidal gestures). Cluster C includes Avoidant (socially inhibited and oversensitive to negative evaluation; avoids occupations that involve interpersonal contact because of fears of criticism or rejection; avoids relationships with others unless guaranteed to be accepted unconditionally; feels inadequate and views self as socially inept and unappealing; unwilling to take risks or engage in new activities if they may prove embarrassing), Dependent (allows others to take over and run her life; is submissive, clingy, and fears separation; cannot make decisions without advice and reassurance from others; lacks self-confidence; cannot do things on her own; feels uncomfortable or helpless when alone), and Obsessive-Compulsive (pervasive need for perfectionism that interferes with the ability to complete tasks; preoccupied with details, rules, order, and schedules; excessively devoted to work at the expense of leisure and friendships; rigid, inflexible, and stubborn; insists things be done his way; miserly with money).\"><caption>Table 1. DSM-5 Personality Disorders<\/caption>\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 39px;\">\r\n<th style=\"height: 39px; width: 69.6181px;\" scope=\"col\">DSM-5 Personality Disorder<\/th>\r\n<th style=\"height: 39px; width: 721.84px;\" scope=\"col\">Description<\/th>\r\n<th style=\"height: 39px; width: 45.1736px;\" scope=\"col\">Cluster<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 39px;\">\r\n<td style=\"height: 39px; width: 69.6181px;\">Paranoid<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"height: 39px; width: 721.84px;\">harbors a pervasive and unjustifiable suspiciousness and mistrust of others; reluctant to confide in or become close to others; reads hidden demeaning or threatening meaning into benign remarks or events; takes offense easily and bears grudges; not due to schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"height: 39px; width: 45.1736px;\">A<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 39px;\">\r\n<td style=\"height: 39px; width: 69.6181px;\"><strong>Schizoid<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"height: 39px; width: 721.84px;\">lacks interest and desire to form relationships with others; aloof and shows emotional coldness and detachment; indifferent to approval or criticism of others; lacks close friends or confidants; not due to schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders, not an autism spectrum disorder<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"height: 39px; width: 45.1736px;\">A<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 39px;\">\r\n<td style=\"height: 39px; width: 69.6181px;\">Schizotypal<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"height: 39px; width: 721.84px;\">exhibits eccentricities in thought, perception, emotion, speech, and behavior; shows suspiciousness or paranoia; has unusual perceptual experiences; speech is often idiosyncratic; displays inappropriate emotions; lacks friends or confidants; not due to schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder, or to autism spectrum disorder<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"height: 39px; width: 45.1736px;\">A<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<h2>Schizoid Personality Disorder<\/h2>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2827\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\"]<img class=\"wp-image-2827 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5351\/2020\/09\/02020439\/1600px-Lonely_Sun_202938911-300x186.jpeg\" alt=\"Person sitting alone on a bench.\" width=\"300\" height=\"186\" \/> <strong>Figure 1<\/strong>. Schizoid personality disorder is characterized by a solitary lifestyle and detachment from others.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nSchizoid personality disorder (often abbreviated as SPD or SzPD) is a personality disorder characterized by a lack of interest in social relationships, a tendency toward a solitary or sheltered lifestyle, secretiveness, emotional coldness, detachment, and apathy.\u00a0 Affected individuals may be unable to form intimate attachments to others and simultaneously possess a rich and elaborate but exclusively internal fantasy world. Other associated features include stilted speech, a lack of deriving enjoyment from most activities, feeling as though one is an observer rather than a participant in life, an inability to tolerate emotional expectations of others, apparent indifference when praised or criticized, a degree of asexuality, and idiosyncratic moral or political beliefs. Symptoms typically start in late childhood or adolescence.\r\n\r\nSchizoid personality disorder (SPD) is described as a pervasive pattern of detachment from social relationships and a restricted range of expression of emotions in interpersonal settings. Beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by at least four of the following:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>neither desires nor enjoys close relationships, including being part of a family<\/li>\r\n \t<li>almost always chooses solitary activities<\/li>\r\n \t<li>has little, if any, interest in having sexual experiences with another person<\/li>\r\n \t<li>takes pleasure in few, if any, activities<\/li>\r\n \t<li>lacks close friends or confidants other than first-degree relatives<\/li>\r\n \t<li>appears indifferent to the praise or criticism of others<\/li>\r\n \t<li>shows emotional coldness, detachment, or flattened affect<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nThose with schizoid personality disorder (SPD) may often be unable to, or will rarely, express aggressiveness or hostility, even when provoked directly. These individuals can seem vague or drifting about their goals and their lives may appear directionless.\r\n<h3>Comorbidity<\/h3>\r\nSchizoid personality disorder is often found to occur with at least one of several disorders or pathologies. Sometimes, a person with SPD may meet criteria for an additional personality disorder; when this happens, it is most often\u00a0avoidant,\u00a0schizotypal, or\u00a0paranoid\u00a0personality disorder.\u00a0<sup id=\"cite_ref-:5_26-1\" class=\"reference\"><\/sup><strong>Alexithymia<\/strong>\u00a0(the inability to identify and describe emotions) is often present in SPD.\r\n\r\nWhile SPD shares several symptoms with other mental disorders, there are some important differentiating features:\r\n<table class=\"wikitable\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th colspan=\"2\">Table 2. Differential Diagnosis<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th>Psychological condition<\/th>\r\n<th>Features<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Depression<\/td>\r\n<td>People who have SPD may also suffer from clinical depression. However, this is not always the case. Unlike a person with depression, persons with SPD generally do not consider themselves inferior to others. They may recognize instead that they are different.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Avoidant personality disorder (AvPD)<\/td>\r\n<td>While people affected with AvPD avoid social interactions due to anxiety or feelings of incompetence, those with SPD do so because they are genuinely indifferent to social relationships. A 1989 study,\u00a0however, found that \"schizoid and avoidant personalities were found to display equivalent levels of anxiety, depression, and psychotic tendencies as compared to psychiatric control patients.\" There also seems to be some shared genetic risk between SPD and AvPD. Several sources to date have confirmed the synonymy of SPD and\u00a0avoidant attachment style.<sup id=\"cite_ref-54\" class=\"reference\"><\/sup><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Other personality disorders<\/td>\r\n<td>Schizoid and\u00a0narcissistic personality disorders\u00a0can seem similar in some respects (e.g., both show identity confusion, may lack warmth and spontaneity, and avoid deep relationships with intimacy). Another commonality observed by Akhtar is preferring ideas over people.<del><sup id=\"cite_ref-:11_19-2\" class=\"reference\"><\/sup><\/del><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Autism Spectrum Disorder<\/td>\r\n<td>There may be substantial difficulty in distinguishing milder forms of autism spectrum disorder. SPD is classified as a schizophrenia-like personality disorder. There is some overlap, as some people with\u00a0autism\u00a0also qualify for a diagnosis of schizotypal or SPD. However, one of the distinguishing features of SPD is a restricted affect and an impaired capacity for emotional experience and expression. Persons with autism\u00a0may fail to recognize social cues such as verbal hints or body language.<del><sup id=\"cite_ref-PMID24290364_55-0\" class=\"reference\"><\/sup><\/del><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<h3>Prevalence<\/h3>\r\nStudies suggest that SPD disorder has a prevalence of less than 1%. There is no difference observed in the frequency between males and females.\r\n<h3>Etiology<\/h3>\r\nAlthough not much is definitively known regarding the etiology of schizoid personality disorder, it is assumed that genetics significantly contributes to the disorder. Twin studies using self-report questionnaires have estimated heritability rates for schizoid personality disorder to be about 30%.\r\n<h3>Treatment<\/h3>\r\nPeople with schizoid personality disorder rarely seek treatment for their condition. This is an issue found in many\u00a0personality disorders, which prevents many people who are afflicted with these conditions from coming forward for treatment: they tend to view their condition as\u00a0not conflicting with their self-image\u00a0and their abnormal perceptions and behaviors as rational and appropriate.\r\n<div class=\"textbox exercises\">\r\n<h3>Case StUdy: Schizoid Personality Disorder<\/h3>\r\nEdgar is a 26-year-old man. Despite extraordinary intelligence, Edgar was not able to complete or participate in any educational programs. He wanted to have a normal life with family and friends, but thought that he was rootless and he felt that other people thought that he was peculiar or odd. He felt that he was an outsider. As a child, he went to various schools because his parents moved around. He was thought of as a lonely wolf and did not participate in the social life, games,\u00a0or sports with his peers. During class, he was often absent-minded, being absorbed in his own thoughts and fantasies. From around the age of thirteen, he became interested in computers and was quite advanced in his understanding of mathematics. Edgar became exceedingly isolated with his computer as his sole companion and remains detached from people to this day. He has never been in a relationship and expressed no desire to be in one. Edgar is diagnosed with schizoid personality disorder because of his pervasive pattern of detachment from social relationships, his emotional flatness, his lack of desire for relationships, and his preference for solitary activities.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4301\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\"]<img class=\"wp-image-4301 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5351\/2020\/09\/11031510\/25772184516_68e2bc1741_k-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Two people sitting next to each other at a table and writing in notebooks.\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/> <strong>Figure 2<\/strong>. Some schizoid individuals can form relationships based on occupational activities.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThe vignette above illustrates the difficulties for those with schizoid personality disorder in establishing stable relationships with significant others like peers and family. Often it is regarded as unusual that a person with schizoid personality disorders complains that they feel isolated. Many schizoid patients, on the contrary, claim to be quite satisfied with their loneliness and it is quite unusual that they wish to have a family. Also, schizoid persons usually accept their situation or even deny any desire for closer relationships.\r\n\r\nPeople who have SPD tend to be happiest when in relationships in which their partner places few emotional or intimate demands on them and does not expect phatic or social niceties. It is not necessarily people they want to avoid, but negative or positive emotional expectations, emotional intimacy, and self-disclosure. Therefore, it is possible for individuals with SPD to form relationships with others based on intellectual, physical, familial, occupational, or recreational activities, as long as there is no need for emotional intimacy. Donald Winnicott explains this is because schizoid individuals \"prefer to make relationships on their own terms and not in terms of the impulses of other people.\" Failing to attain that, they prefer isolation. In general, friendship among schizoids is usually limited to one person, often also schizoid, forming what has been called a union of two eccentrics.\r\n<div class=\"textbox key-takeaways\">\r\n<h3>Key Takeaways:\u00a0<strong>schizoid personality disorder<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<iframe title=\"52. Schizoid personality disorder\" src=\"https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/content\/1291235921826902488\/embed\" width=\"1088\" height=\"491\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><script src=\"https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/js\/h5p-resizer.js\" charset=\"UTF-8\"><\/script>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox examples\">\r\n<h3>Watch IT<\/h3>\r\nThis video provides a brief overview of schizoid personality disorder.\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"\/\/plugin.3playmedia.com\/show?mf=5576209&amp;p3sdk_version=1.10.1&amp;p=20361&amp;pt=375&amp;video_id=rnLXaVZYlnI&amp;video_target=tpm-plugin-aktu91vt-rnLXaVZYlnI\" width=\"800px\" height=\"450px\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0px\" marginheight=\"0px\"><\/iframe>\r\n\r\nYou can view the <a href=\"https:\/\/course-building.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/Abnormal+Psychology\/transcripts\/SchizoidPersonalityDisorderInAMinute_transcript.txt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">transcript for \"Schizoid Personality Disorder in a Minute\" here (opens in new window)<\/a>.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox tryit\">\r\n<h3>Try It<\/h3>\r\nhttps:\/\/assess.lumenlearning.com\/practice\/50264198-57fb-410d-adae-1ca87e643d7b\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\r\n<h3>Glossary<\/h3>\r\n<strong>alexithymia:\u00a0<\/strong>the inability to identify and describe emotions\r\n\r\n<strong>schizoid personality disorder:<\/strong>\u00a0a personality disorder characterized by a lack of interest in social relationships, a solitary lifestyle, and detachment from others\r\n\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\n<h3>Learning Objectives<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Describe the characteristics and diagnosis of schizoid personality disorder<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>We&#8217;ve learned about paranoid personality disorder, now let&#8217;s take a look at another Cluster A disorder: <strong>schizoid personality disorder<\/strong>. Persons with schizoid personality disorder are considered classic loners.<\/p>\n<table summary=\"A table provides basic descriptions of the DSM-5 personality disorders and their associated clusters. Cluster A includes Paranoid (harbors a pervasive and unjustifiable suspiciousness and mistrust of others; reluctant to confide in or become close to others; reads hidden demeaning or threatening meaning into benign remarks or events; takes offense easily and bears grudges; not due to schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders), Schizoid (lacks interest and desire to form relationships with others; aloof and shows emotional coldness and detachment; indifferent to approval or criticism of others; lacks close friends or confidants; not due to schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders, not an autism spectrum disorder), and Schizotypal (exhibits eccentricities in thought, perception, emotion, speech, and behavior; shows suspiciousness or paranoia; has unusual perceptual experiences; speech is often idiosyncratic; displays inappropriate emotions; lacks friends or confidants; not due to schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder, or to autism spectrum disorder). Cluster B includes Antisocial (continuously violates the rights of others; history of antisocial tendencies prior to age 15; often lies, fights, and has problems with the law; impulsive and fails to think ahead; can be deceitful and manipulative in order to gain profit or pleasure; irresponsible and often fails to hold down a job or pay financial debts; lacks feelings for others and remorse over misdeeds), Histrionic (excessively overdramatic, emotional, and theatrical; feels uncomfortable when not the center of others\u2019 attention; behavior is often inappropriately seductive or provocative; speech is highly emotional but often vague and diffuse; emotions are shallow and often shift rapidly; may alienate friends with demands for constant attention), Narcissistic (overinflated and unjustified sense of self-importance and preoccupied with fantasies of success; believes he is entitled to special treatment from others; shows arrogant attitudes and behaviors; takes advantage of others; lacks empathy), and Borderline (unstable in self-image, mood, and behavior; cannot tolerate being alone and experiences chronic feelings of emptiness; unstable and intense relationships with others; behavior is impulsive, unpredictable, and sometimes self-damaging; shows inappropriate and intense anger; makes suicidal gestures). Cluster C includes Avoidant (socially inhibited and oversensitive to negative evaluation; avoids occupations that involve interpersonal contact because of fears of criticism or rejection; avoids relationships with others unless guaranteed to be accepted unconditionally; feels inadequate and views self as socially inept and unappealing; unwilling to take risks or engage in new activities if they may prove embarrassing), Dependent (allows others to take over and run her life; is submissive, clingy, and fears separation; cannot make decisions without advice and reassurance from others; lacks self-confidence; cannot do things on her own; feels uncomfortable or helpless when alone), and Obsessive-Compulsive (pervasive need for perfectionism that interferes with the ability to complete tasks; preoccupied with details, rules, order, and schedules; excessively devoted to work at the expense of leisure and friendships; rigid, inflexible, and stubborn; insists things be done his way; miserly with money).\">\n<caption>Table 1. DSM-5 Personality Disorders<\/caption>\n<thead>\n<tr style=\"height: 39px;\">\n<th style=\"height: 39px; width: 69.6181px;\" scope=\"col\">DSM-5 Personality Disorder<\/th>\n<th style=\"height: 39px; width: 721.84px;\" scope=\"col\">Description<\/th>\n<th style=\"height: 39px; width: 45.1736px;\" scope=\"col\">Cluster<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr style=\"height: 39px;\">\n<td style=\"height: 39px; width: 69.6181px;\">Paranoid<\/td>\n<td style=\"height: 39px; width: 721.84px;\">harbors a pervasive and unjustifiable suspiciousness and mistrust of others; reluctant to confide in or become close to others; reads hidden demeaning or threatening meaning into benign remarks or events; takes offense easily and bears grudges; not due to schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders<\/td>\n<td style=\"height: 39px; width: 45.1736px;\">A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 39px;\">\n<td style=\"height: 39px; width: 69.6181px;\"><strong>Schizoid<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"height: 39px; width: 721.84px;\">lacks interest and desire to form relationships with others; aloof and shows emotional coldness and detachment; indifferent to approval or criticism of others; lacks close friends or confidants; not due to schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders, not an autism spectrum disorder<\/td>\n<td style=\"height: 39px; width: 45.1736px;\">A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 39px;\">\n<td style=\"height: 39px; width: 69.6181px;\">Schizotypal<\/td>\n<td style=\"height: 39px; width: 721.84px;\">exhibits eccentricities in thought, perception, emotion, speech, and behavior; shows suspiciousness or paranoia; has unusual perceptual experiences; speech is often idiosyncratic; displays inappropriate emotions; lacks friends or confidants; not due to schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder, or to autism spectrum disorder<\/td>\n<td style=\"height: 39px; width: 45.1736px;\">A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2>Schizoid Personality Disorder<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_2827\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2827\" class=\"wp-image-2827 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5351\/2020\/09\/02020439\/1600px-Lonely_Sun_202938911-300x186.jpeg\" alt=\"Person sitting alone on a bench.\" width=\"300\" height=\"186\" \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-2827\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 1<\/strong>. Schizoid personality disorder is characterized by a solitary lifestyle and detachment from others.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Schizoid personality disorder (often abbreviated as SPD or SzPD) is a personality disorder characterized by a lack of interest in social relationships, a tendency toward a solitary or sheltered lifestyle, secretiveness, emotional coldness, detachment, and apathy.\u00a0 Affected individuals may be unable to form intimate attachments to others and simultaneously possess a rich and elaborate but exclusively internal fantasy world. Other associated features include stilted speech, a lack of deriving enjoyment from most activities, feeling as though one is an observer rather than a participant in life, an inability to tolerate emotional expectations of others, apparent indifference when praised or criticized, a degree of asexuality, and idiosyncratic moral or political beliefs. Symptoms typically start in late childhood or adolescence.<\/p>\n<p>Schizoid personality disorder (SPD) is described as a pervasive pattern of detachment from social relationships and a restricted range of expression of emotions in interpersonal settings. Beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by at least four of the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>neither desires nor enjoys close relationships, including being part of a family<\/li>\n<li>almost always chooses solitary activities<\/li>\n<li>has little, if any, interest in having sexual experiences with another person<\/li>\n<li>takes pleasure in few, if any, activities<\/li>\n<li>lacks close friends or confidants other than first-degree relatives<\/li>\n<li>appears indifferent to the praise or criticism of others<\/li>\n<li>shows emotional coldness, detachment, or flattened affect<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Those with schizoid personality disorder (SPD) may often be unable to, or will rarely, express aggressiveness or hostility, even when provoked directly. These individuals can seem vague or drifting about their goals and their lives may appear directionless.<\/p>\n<h3>Comorbidity<\/h3>\n<p>Schizoid personality disorder is often found to occur with at least one of several disorders or pathologies. Sometimes, a person with SPD may meet criteria for an additional personality disorder; when this happens, it is most often\u00a0avoidant,\u00a0schizotypal, or\u00a0paranoid\u00a0personality disorder.\u00a0<sup id=\"cite_ref-:5_26-1\" class=\"reference\"><\/sup><strong>Alexithymia<\/strong>\u00a0(the inability to identify and describe emotions) is often present in SPD.<\/p>\n<p>While SPD shares several symptoms with other mental disorders, there are some important differentiating features:<\/p>\n<table class=\"wikitable\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th colspan=\"2\">Table 2. Differential Diagnosis<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Psychological condition<\/th>\n<th>Features<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Depression<\/td>\n<td>People who have SPD may also suffer from clinical depression. However, this is not always the case. Unlike a person with depression, persons with SPD generally do not consider themselves inferior to others. They may recognize instead that they are different.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Avoidant personality disorder (AvPD)<\/td>\n<td>While people affected with AvPD avoid social interactions due to anxiety or feelings of incompetence, those with SPD do so because they are genuinely indifferent to social relationships. A 1989 study,\u00a0however, found that &#8220;schizoid and avoidant personalities were found to display equivalent levels of anxiety, depression, and psychotic tendencies as compared to psychiatric control patients.&#8221; There also seems to be some shared genetic risk between SPD and AvPD. Several sources to date have confirmed the synonymy of SPD and\u00a0avoidant attachment style.<sup id=\"cite_ref-54\" class=\"reference\"><\/sup><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Other personality disorders<\/td>\n<td>Schizoid and\u00a0narcissistic personality disorders\u00a0can seem similar in some respects (e.g., both show identity confusion, may lack warmth and spontaneity, and avoid deep relationships with intimacy). Another commonality observed by Akhtar is preferring ideas over people.<del><sup id=\"cite_ref-:11_19-2\" class=\"reference\"><\/sup><\/del><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Autism Spectrum Disorder<\/td>\n<td>There may be substantial difficulty in distinguishing milder forms of autism spectrum disorder. SPD is classified as a schizophrenia-like personality disorder. There is some overlap, as some people with\u00a0autism\u00a0also qualify for a diagnosis of schizotypal or SPD. However, one of the distinguishing features of SPD is a restricted affect and an impaired capacity for emotional experience and expression. Persons with autism\u00a0may fail to recognize social cues such as verbal hints or body language.<del><sup id=\"cite_ref-PMID24290364_55-0\" class=\"reference\"><\/sup><\/del><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3>Prevalence<\/h3>\n<p>Studies suggest that SPD disorder has a prevalence of less than 1%. There is no difference observed in the frequency between males and females.<\/p>\n<h3>Etiology<\/h3>\n<p>Although not much is definitively known regarding the etiology of schizoid personality disorder, it is assumed that genetics significantly contributes to the disorder. Twin studies using self-report questionnaires have estimated heritability rates for schizoid personality disorder to be about 30%.<\/p>\n<h3>Treatment<\/h3>\n<p>People with schizoid personality disorder rarely seek treatment for their condition. This is an issue found in many\u00a0personality disorders, which prevents many people who are afflicted with these conditions from coming forward for treatment: they tend to view their condition as\u00a0not conflicting with their self-image\u00a0and their abnormal perceptions and behaviors as rational and appropriate.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox exercises\">\n<h3>Case StUdy: Schizoid Personality Disorder<\/h3>\n<p>Edgar is a 26-year-old man. Despite extraordinary intelligence, Edgar was not able to complete or participate in any educational programs. He wanted to have a normal life with family and friends, but thought that he was rootless and he felt that other people thought that he was peculiar or odd. He felt that he was an outsider. As a child, he went to various schools because his parents moved around. He was thought of as a lonely wolf and did not participate in the social life, games,\u00a0or sports with his peers. During class, he was often absent-minded, being absorbed in his own thoughts and fantasies. From around the age of thirteen, he became interested in computers and was quite advanced in his understanding of mathematics. Edgar became exceedingly isolated with his computer as his sole companion and remains detached from people to this day. He has never been in a relationship and expressed no desire to be in one. Edgar is diagnosed with schizoid personality disorder because of his pervasive pattern of detachment from social relationships, his emotional flatness, his lack of desire for relationships, and his preference for solitary activities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_4301\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4301\" class=\"wp-image-4301 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5351\/2020\/09\/11031510\/25772184516_68e2bc1741_k-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Two people sitting next to each other at a table and writing in notebooks.\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-4301\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 2<\/strong>. Some schizoid individuals can form relationships based on occupational activities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The vignette above illustrates the difficulties for those with schizoid personality disorder in establishing stable relationships with significant others like peers and family. Often it is regarded as unusual that a person with schizoid personality disorders complains that they feel isolated. Many schizoid patients, on the contrary, claim to be quite satisfied with their loneliness and it is quite unusual that they wish to have a family. Also, schizoid persons usually accept their situation or even deny any desire for closer relationships.<\/p>\n<p>People who have SPD tend to be happiest when in relationships in which their partner places few emotional or intimate demands on them and does not expect phatic or social niceties. It is not necessarily people they want to avoid, but negative or positive emotional expectations, emotional intimacy, and self-disclosure. Therefore, it is possible for individuals with SPD to form relationships with others based on intellectual, physical, familial, occupational, or recreational activities, as long as there is no need for emotional intimacy. Donald Winnicott explains this is because schizoid individuals &#8220;prefer to make relationships on their own terms and not in terms of the impulses of other people.&#8221; Failing to attain that, they prefer isolation. In general, friendship among schizoids is usually limited to one person, often also schizoid, forming what has been called a union of two eccentrics.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox key-takeaways\">\n<h3>Key Takeaways:\u00a0<strong>schizoid personality disorder<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"52. Schizoid personality disorder\" src=\"https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/content\/1291235921826902488\/embed\" width=\"1088\" height=\"491\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><script src=\"https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/js\/h5p-resizer.js\" charset=\"UTF-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox examples\">\n<h3>Watch IT<\/h3>\n<p>This video provides a brief overview of schizoid personality disorder.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/plugin.3playmedia.com\/show?mf=5576209&amp;p3sdk_version=1.10.1&amp;p=20361&amp;pt=375&amp;video_id=rnLXaVZYlnI&amp;video_target=tpm-plugin-aktu91vt-rnLXaVZYlnI\" width=\"800px\" height=\"450px\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0px\" marginheight=\"0px\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>You can view the <a href=\"https:\/\/course-building.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/Abnormal+Psychology\/transcripts\/SchizoidPersonalityDisorderInAMinute_transcript.txt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">transcript for &#8220;Schizoid Personality Disorder in a Minute&#8221; here (opens in new window)<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox tryit\">\n<h3>Try It<\/h3>\n<p>\t<iframe id=\"assessment_practice_50264198-57fb-410d-adae-1ca87e643d7b\" class=\"resizable\" src=\"https:\/\/assess.lumenlearning.com\/practice\/50264198-57fb-410d-adae-1ca87e643d7b?iframe_resize_id=assessment_practice_id_50264198-57fb-410d-adae-1ca87e643d7b\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none;width:100%;height:100%;min-height:300px;\"><br \/>\n\t<\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\n<h3>Glossary<\/h3>\n<p><strong>alexithymia:\u00a0<\/strong>the inability to identify and describe emotions<\/p>\n<p><strong>schizoid personality disorder:<\/strong>\u00a0a personality disorder characterized by a lack of interest in social relationships, a solitary lifestyle, and detachment from others<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-1707\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Original<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Modification, adaptation, and original content. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Julie Manley for Lumen Learning. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Lumen Learning. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Personality Disorder. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Wikipedia. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Personality_disorder\">https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Personality_disorder<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Textbook of Psychiatry. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Wikipedia. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikibooks.org\/wiki\/Textbook_of_Psychiatry\/Print_version#Avoidant_Personality_Disorder\">https:\/\/en.wikibooks.org\/wiki\/Textbook_of_Psychiatry\/Print_version#Avoidant_Personality_Disorder<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Schizoid personality disorder. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Wikipedia. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Schizoid_personality_disorder#:~:text=Schizoid%20personality%20disorder%20(%2F%CB%88s,emotional%20coldness%2C%20detachment%20and%20apathy\">https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Schizoid_personality_disorder#:~:text=Schizoid%20personality%20disorder%20(%2F%CB%88s,emotional%20coldness%2C%20detachment%20and%20apathy<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Lonely Son. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: K Magnus Ornhammar. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Lonely_Sun_(202938911).jpeg\">https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Lonely_Sun_(202938911).jpeg<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Schizoid Personality Disorder. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Kamron Fariba and Vikas Gupta. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: StatPearls. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK559234\/\">https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK559234\/<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Co-workers in tech. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: WOCinTech Chat. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/wocintechchat\/25772184516\/\">https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/wocintechchat\/25772184516\/<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/about\/pdm\">Public Domain: No Known Copyright<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">All rights reserved content<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Schizoid Personality Disorder in a Minute. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: One Minute Diagnosis. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=rnLXaVZYlnI&#038;feature=emb_logo\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=rnLXaVZYlnI&#038;feature=emb_logo<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em>Other<\/em>. <strong>License Terms<\/strong>: Standard YouTube License<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section>","protected":false},"author":29,"menu_order":5,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Personality Disorder\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"Wikipedia\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Personality_disorder\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by-sa\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Textbook of 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