Which of the following best characterizes individuals diagnosed as having personality disorders?

• A. They have symptoms that are primarily due to acute medical conditions or substance use.
• B. They experience temporary episodes of psychosis with full recovery between episodes.
• C. They display mood disturbances that fluctuate rapidly over short periods.
• D. They exhibit enduring patterns of behavior, cognition, and inner experience that deviate markedly from cultural expectations.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the definition of personality disorders: These are characterized by enduring patterns of behavior, cognition, and inner experience that are stable over time and deviate significantly from cultural norms.
2. Recognize that personality disorders are not primarily caused by acute medical conditions or substance use, so symptoms due to these causes are excluded from the definition.
3. Note that temporary episodes of psychosis with full recovery are more typical of other disorders, such as brief psychotic disorder or schizophrenia, rather than personality disorders.
4. Identify that rapid mood fluctuations over short periods are characteristic of mood disorders or certain personality disorders like borderline personality disorder, but the key feature is the enduring and pervasive nature of the patterns, not just mood changes.
5. Conclude that the best characterization is the presence of long-lasting, inflexible patterns of behavior and inner experience that differ markedly from cultural expectations, which is the hallmark of personality disorders.