Understanding Personality Disorders - by Duane L Dobbert (Paperback)

About the Book

People with personality disorders are all around us, though many times we're not aware of those who are overly paranoid, obsessive-compulsive, antisocial, or overly dependent until it's too late. Indeed, many sufferers aren't aware themselves of their disorders and often go un...

Book Synopsis

People with personality disorders are all around us, though many times we're not aware of those who are overly paranoid, obsessive-compulsive, antisocial, or overly dependent until it's too late. Indeed, many sufferers aren't aware themselves of their disorders and often go undiagnosed and untreated, leading to problems in their personal and professional lives. Here, Dobbert offers an introduction to the most common personality disorders, and a guide for those who work, live, or come in contact with sufferers on a daily basis.

Review Quotes

[B]ursting with information, Dr. Duane Dobbert's new book is a winner as a brief but comprehensive reference....This new book is an important reference manual in helping the professional and the layperson better understand PDs. Dobbert does two particularly useful things with this book: interprets DSM criteria and presents case study scenarios....This book is a reference manual with illustrative case studies. If you find that you are frequently looking up information on Personality Disorders, it is worthowning, and, since PDs often travel in groups, an individual can show symptoms of more than one type. It is nice to have one book that covers them all...

An excellent survey highly recommended as an authoritative introduction for all walks of life.

Dobbert has written a useful and easy-to-read text on personality disorders, which are often misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or ignored completely. The introduction is brief, to the point, and right on target: by outlining the significant differences between personality disorders and other disorder categories, the author helps the reader place such disorders within the full range of human behavior. Dobbert incorporates criteria from the DSM-IV-TR, thus providing a useful comparison of symptoms to diagnostic criteria within the manual. This reader's main concern is the tendency for readers to find described disorders around every corner or in every friend, acquaintance, or family member. However, Dobbert focuses clearly on the criteria and the enduring nature of these disorders, and so does the best he can to ensure that the reader does not fall victim to this version of medical student syndrome. Those studying or engaged in counseling, clinical work, or social work will find this book valuable. Recommended. Graduate students and professionals.

Writing for general readers, Dobbert explains the nature of personality disorders, then details 11 specific disorders. He uses scenarios of situations common to people with personality disorders to point out warning signs, and to explain how such disorders develop and how they can be successfully addressed.

About the Author

Duane L. Dobbert, Ph.D, is a 40-year veteran of the Criminal Justice profession; serving in clinical, administrative, expert witness, educational, research, publishing, and consulting capacities. He is a Fellow of the American College of Forensic Examiners International and a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychological Specialties. His 2004 book, Halting the Sexual Predators Among Us has received national and international recognition and is the clinical perspective utilized in CARTs (Child Abduction Response Team) in the United States and the Florida School Bus Driver training initiative; School Bus Drivers: The 1st line of Defense against Sexual Predators. Dr. Dobbert is also the author of Psychopathy, Perversion, and Lust Homicide. Dr. Dobbert is Professor and Coordinator of Criminal Forensic Studies at Florida Gulf Coast University in Ft, Myers, Florida.