{"id":40529,"date":"2025-12-09T18:02:32","date_gmt":"2025-12-09T16:02:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/?page_id=40529"},"modified":"2026-02-10T17:20:21","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T15:20:21","slug":"personality-disorders","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/psychology\/personality-disorders\/","title":{"rendered":"Attachment Theory and Personality Disorders"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>\r\n    h1{\r\n        font-size: 48px!important;\r\n    }\r\n\r\n    #gutenberg-content #text_imageblock_d4cf195b72e87079bd8fc05265945084 h1, #gutenberg-content #text_imageblock_d4cf195b72e87079bd8fc05265945084 h2, #gutenberg-content #text_imageblock_d4cf195b72e87079bd8fc05265945084 h3,\r\n    #gutenberg-content #text_imageblock_d4cf195b72e87079bd8fc05265945084 h4 {\r\n        letter-spacing: 0.02em;\r\n        color: #513D62;\r\n        font-weight: 700;\r\n        line-height: 1.3;\r\n        margin-bottom: 23px;\r\n    }\r\n\r\n  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@media (max-width: 480px) {\r\n\r\n    #text_imageblock_d4cf195b72e87079bd8fc05265945084 .text-wrapper {\r\n        padding: auto;\r\n    }\r\n\r\n        #gutenberg-content #text_imageblock_d4cf195b72e87079bd8fc05265945084 img {\r\n            max-width: 100%;\r\n            height: auto;\r\n            object-fit: cover;\r\n        }\r\n    }\r\n<\/style>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"text_imageblock_d4cf195b72e87079bd8fc05265945084\" class=\"container \" style=\"max-width: 900px;\">\r\n    <div class=\"row justify-content-sm-start justify-content-center\">\r\n        <div class=\"col-sm-12 order-sm-1 order-2\">\r\n            <div class=\"small-separator d-none\"><\/div>\r\n            <div class=\"text-wrapper\">\r\n                <p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-40900 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/portrait-young-man-standing-forest-1024x683.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/portrait-young-man-standing-forest-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/portrait-young-man-standing-forest-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/portrait-young-man-standing-forest-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/portrait-young-man-standing-forest-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/portrait-young-man-standing-forest-2048x1365.webp 2048w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/portrait-young-man-standing-forest-2000x1333.webp 2000w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/portrait-young-man-standing-forest-1500x1000.webp 1500w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/portrait-young-man-standing-forest-1000x667.webp 1000w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/portrait-young-man-standing-forest-800x533.webp 800w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/portrait-young-man-standing-forest-750x500.webp 750w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/portrait-young-man-standing-forest-617x411.webp 617w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/portrait-young-man-standing-forest-600x400.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/portrait-young-man-standing-forest-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/portrait-young-man-standing-forest-500x333.webp 500w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/portrait-young-man-standing-forest-400x267.webp 400w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/portrait-young-man-standing-forest-247x165.webp 247w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/portrait-young-man-standing-forest-110x73.webp 110w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>You may already have a sense of how your early relationship patterns persist into adulthood, particularly if you&#8217;ve already been part of the Attachment Project for some time. These patterns can also affect our personality development, as our early attachment relationships provide an internal working model &#8211; like a mental roadmap &#8211; of ourselves, the world, and how we fit into it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Personality disorders<\/strong> are complex and influenced by lots of things, but our early attachment experiences do play a role. One 2007 study on 239 pairs of twins, which helps to separate environmental from genetic effects, found that attachment anxiety was associated with personality pathologies related to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/blog\/insecure-attachment-emotional-dysregulation\/\">emotional dysregulation<\/a>, while attachment avoidance was associated with personality pathologies related to inhibition &#8211; but more on this later<sup><a id=\"cite1\" href=\"#ref1\">1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n<p>In this article, we&#8217;ll broadly explain personality disorders, psychological research on how they link to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/attachment-theory\/\">attachment theory<\/a>, and how we can use attachment theory to support people with personality disorders.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-40908\" src=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/What-Is-a-Personality-Disorder_.webp\" alt=\"What Is a Personality Disorder\" width=\"550\" height=\"580\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/What-Is-a-Personality-Disorder_.webp 1152w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/What-Is-a-Personality-Disorder_-284x300.webp 284w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/What-Is-a-Personality-Disorder_-971x1024.webp 971w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/What-Is-a-Personality-Disorder_-768x810.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/What-Is-a-Personality-Disorder_-948x1000.webp 948w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/What-Is-a-Personality-Disorder_-800x844.webp 800w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/What-Is-a-Personality-Disorder_-711x750.webp 711w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/What-Is-a-Personality-Disorder_-617x651.webp 617w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/What-Is-a-Personality-Disorder_-600x633.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/What-Is-a-Personality-Disorder_-150x158.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/What-Is-a-Personality-Disorder_-1000x1055.webp 1000w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/What-Is-a-Personality-Disorder_-474x500.webp 474w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/What-Is-a-Personality-Disorder_-400x422.webp 400w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/What-Is-a-Personality-Disorder_-247x261.webp 247w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/What-Is-a-Personality-Disorder_-104x110.webp 104w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Key Takeaways:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Attachment theory can help us to understand how personality disorders develop.<\/li>\n<li>Disorganized attachments show a strong correlation with borderline personality disorder.<\/li>\n<li>Some personality disorders share common traits with insecure attachment styles, though they are more extreme.<\/li>\n<li>Attachment patterns can contribute to personality disorders, but aren&#8217;t considered to cause them.<\/li>\n<li>Attachment-based therapy offers promising approaches for personality disorder treatment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>What Are Personality Disorders?<\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)<\/strong> is a tool used by mental health professionals to diagnose psychological disorders. Its current version (at the time of writing) is the 5th edition text revision, or the DSM-5-TR, published in 2022<sup><a id=\"cite2\" href=\"#ref2\">2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychiatry.org\/psychiatrists\/practice\/dsm\/educational-resources\/dsm-5-tr-fact-sheets\">DSM-5-TR<\/a> describes personality disorders as:<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;An enduring pattern of inner experience and behavior that deviates markedly from the norms and expectations of the individual&#8217;s culture, is pervasive and inflexible, has an onset in adolescence or early adulthood, is stable over time, and leads to distress or impairment.&#8221;<sup><a id=\"cite2b\" href=\"#ref2\">2<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #faf8f5; border-left: 4px solid #E8A798; padding: 20px; margin: 25px 0; border-radius: 0 8px 8px 0;\">\n<p style=\"margin: 0 0 15px 0; font-weight: bold; color: #2a2053; font-size: 16px;\">A Note on Research<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 0; color: #333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6;\">Some studies cited in this article were conducted with specific populations (e.g., forensic settings, single-culture samples) or represent preliminary evidence (case studies, theses). While they offer valuable insights, their findings may not generalize to all individuals. We have aimed to present the current evidence fairly while acknowledging its limitations. <span style=\"font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>In other words, 4 characteristics form a personality disorder:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>You feel and act in ways that are very unusual within your culture.<\/li>\n<li>This pattern is consistent and doesn&#8217;t change over time.<\/li>\n<li>It usually first started in adolescence or early adulthood (but can start earlier).<\/li>\n<li>These experiences are distressing or stop you from doing what you need to do in daily life.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>To diagnose a personality disorder, this pattern can affect 2 or more of:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Cognition (the way you perceive others, events, and yourself)<\/li>\n<li>Emotions (range, intensity, stability, and appropriateness of emotional response)<\/li>\n<li>Social functioning<\/li>\n<li>Impulse control<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-40903\" src=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4-Characteristics-of-a-Personality-Disorder.webp\" alt=\"4 Characteristics of a Personality Disorder\" width=\"550\" height=\"775\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4-Characteristics-of-a-Personality-Disorder.webp 1152w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4-Characteristics-of-a-Personality-Disorder-213x300.webp 213w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4-Characteristics-of-a-Personality-Disorder-727x1024.webp 727w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4-Characteristics-of-a-Personality-Disorder-768x1082.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4-Characteristics-of-a-Personality-Disorder-1090x1536.webp 1090w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4-Characteristics-of-a-Personality-Disorder-1065x1500.webp 1065w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4-Characteristics-of-a-Personality-Disorder-710x1000.webp 710w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4-Characteristics-of-a-Personality-Disorder-800x1127.webp 800w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4-Characteristics-of-a-Personality-Disorder-532x750.webp 532w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4-Characteristics-of-a-Personality-Disorder-617x869.webp 617w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4-Characteristics-of-a-Personality-Disorder-600x845.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4-Characteristics-of-a-Personality-Disorder-150x211.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4-Characteristics-of-a-Personality-Disorder-1000x1409.webp 1000w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4-Characteristics-of-a-Personality-Disorder-355x500.webp 355w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4-Characteristics-of-a-Personality-Disorder-400x564.webp 400w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4-Characteristics-of-a-Personality-Disorder-247x348.webp 247w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4-Characteristics-of-a-Personality-Disorder-78x110.webp 78w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The diagnostic criteria also specifies that this pattern is not better explained by the effects of another mental disorder, medical condition, or substance.<\/p>\n<p>According to the DSM-5-TR, around 10.5% of the population have a personality disorder. There are 10 personality disorder diagnoses in the DSM-5-TR, grouped into 3 different clusters.<\/p>\n<h3>Cluster A: Odd or Eccentric<\/h3>\n<p>3.6% of the population are estimated to have a Cluster A personality disorder<sup><a id=\"cite2c\" href=\"#ref2\">2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Paranoid Personality Disorder<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Paranoid Personality Disorder is characterized by a distrust or suspicion of others and interpretation of others&#8217; behavior as intentionally harmful. People with this disorder might refuse to answer personal questions, hold onto grudges, and read negatively into benign comments or even compliments.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Schizoid Personality Disorder<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Schizoid Personality Disorder describes a pattern of detachment from social relationships and decreased range of emotions around others. People with Schizoid Personality Disorder might be indifferent to intimacy, prefer to spend time alone, and appear unaffected by compliments or criticism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Schizotypal Personality Disorder<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Schizotypal Personality Disorder is marked by discomfort with close relationships and anxiety in social situations, often associated with suspicion around others; this causes the anxiety to get worse rather than improve over the duration of a social occasion.<\/p>\n<h3>Cluster B: Dramatic, Emotional, or Erratic<\/h3>\n<p>4.5% of the population are estimated to have a Cluster B Personality Disorder<sup><a id=\"cite2d\" href=\"#ref2\">2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Antisocial Personality Disorder<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Antisocial Personality Disorder describes a disregard for the wellbeing, safety, and rights of others. People with Antisocial Personality Disorder might break laws, make impulsive decisions, and be quick to anger. This diagnosis cannot be made before the age of 18.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Borderline Personality Disorder<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/psychology\/borderline-personality-disorder-bpd-attachment\/\">Borderline Personality Disorder<\/a>, or BPD, is characterized by impulsivity, high emotions, and an intense fear of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/psychology\/abandonment-issues\/\">abandonment<\/a>. People with BPD often struggle with unpredictable relationships and can quickly switch between idealizing and devaluing others.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Histrionic Personality Disorder<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Histrionic Personality Disorder shows up as high emotions and &#8220;attention seeking&#8221;. People with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/psychology\/histrionic-personality-traits\/\">Histrionic Personality Disorder<\/a> tend to be dramatic and may behave in inappropriately sexual ways towards others; although it may seem like they know how to command a room, they can be very easily influenced and overly trusting of others.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Narcissistic Personality Disorder<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/psychology\/narcissistic-personality\/\">Narcissistic Personality Disorder<\/a> describes a combined need for admiration from others and lack of empathy. People with Narcissistic Personality Disorder can have an unrealistic sense of importance, both inflating their own success and devaluing others, and may believe they&#8217;re owed greater recognition. They typically have cognitive empathy, meaning they can understand someone&#8217;s perspective, but not emotional empathy, meaning they can&#8217;t feel what someone else is feeling. They may not show it, but their self-esteem is very fragile and they can be highly sensitive to criticism.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a style=\"color: #fff!important; background-color: #604c8d!important; border-radius: 10px; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; font-size: 20px; display: inline-block; padding: 12px 20px;\" href=\"https:\/\/quiz.attachmentproject.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">DISCOVER YOUR ATTACHMENT STYLE<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Cluster C: Anxious or Fearful<\/h3>\n<p>2.8% of the population are estimated to have a Cluster C Personality Disorder<sup><a id=\"cite2e\" href=\"#ref2\">2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Avoidant Personality Disorder<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>People with Avoidant Personality Disorder are highly sensitive to being negatively perceived by others. They typically avoid social and work situations that require meeting new people or taking risks, find it difficult to try new things in front of people, and are very inhibited around others because of their fear of rejection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Dependent Personality Disorder<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Dependent Personality Disorder is characterized by a sense of needing to be taken care of, leading to intense fears of separation and &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/love\/clingy-relationship\/\">clinginess<\/a>&#8220;. People with Dependent Personality Disorder can find it difficult to make decisions, disagree with others, and start projects on their own; this is rooted in a lack of confidence rather than a lack of motivation. Other people&#8217;s approval and reassurance are vital to them.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder involves a constant worry over keeping in control through perfectionism and orderliness, and an incapability of being flexible and open. People with Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder can be very strict on rules, have (sometimes impossibly) high standards, and spend lots of time checking and rechecking their work. This can have the opposite of the desired effect, causing projects and tasks to take a long time and problems working with others.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-40907\" src=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/The-3-Clusters-of-Personality-Disorders.webp\" alt=\"The 3 Clusters of Personality Disorders\" width=\"550\" height=\"941\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/The-3-Clusters-of-Personality-Disorders.webp 1152w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/The-3-Clusters-of-Personality-Disorders-175x300.webp 175w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/The-3-Clusters-of-Personality-Disorders-599x1024.webp 599w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/The-3-Clusters-of-Personality-Disorders-768x1314.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/The-3-Clusters-of-Personality-Disorders-898x1536.webp 898w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/The-3-Clusters-of-Personality-Disorders-877x1500.webp 877w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/The-3-Clusters-of-Personality-Disorders-584x1000.webp 584w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/The-3-Clusters-of-Personality-Disorders-800x1369.webp 800w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/The-3-Clusters-of-Personality-Disorders-438x750.webp 438w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/The-3-Clusters-of-Personality-Disorders-617x1056.webp 617w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/The-3-Clusters-of-Personality-Disorders-600x1027.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/The-3-Clusters-of-Personality-Disorders-150x257.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/The-3-Clusters-of-Personality-Disorders-1000x1711.webp 1000w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/The-3-Clusters-of-Personality-Disorders-292x500.webp 292w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/The-3-Clusters-of-Personality-Disorders-400x684.webp 400w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/The-3-Clusters-of-Personality-Disorders-247x423.webp 247w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/The-3-Clusters-of-Personality-Disorders-64x110.webp 64w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Personality Disorders vs. Personality Traits<\/h3>\n<p>Personality traits exist on a spectrum, and being especially high or low on any particular trait doesn&#8217;t constitute a personality disorder &#8211; even if you recognize some of the traits described above.<\/p>\n<p>According to the DSM-5-TR:<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Only when personality traits are inflexible and maladaptive and cause significant functional impairment or subjective distress do they constitute personality disorders.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>In other words, only personality traits that are causing problems in someone&#8217;s life to the extent that they cannot function well can be considered part of a personality disorder.<\/p>\n<p>Someone who is highly confident and unempathic when it helps them in the workplace doesn&#8217;t necessarily have Narcissistic Personality Disorder, or someone who can be a stickler for rules but lets things slide for the sake of efficiency or team cohesion doesn&#8217;t have Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder.<\/p>\n<p>Personality disorders have a serious impact on someone&#8217;s life and should not be taken lightly &#8211; if you suspect you have a personality disorder, a qualified mental health practitioner can help you to understand more about your experiences.<\/p>\n<h2>The Link Between Attachment Theory and Personality Disorders<\/h2>\n<p>Your personality is shaped by lots of things, including, to some extent, your genetics<sup><a id=\"cite3\" href=\"#ref3\">3<\/a><\/sup>. However, scientists estimate that more than half of your personality is influenced by your environment, and this includes your early attachment relationships.<\/p>\n<p>If your caregiver responds to your needs reliably, you develop an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/attachment-theory\/internal-working-model\/\">internal working model<\/a> of yourself as worthy of attention and others as trustworthy. However, if your caregiver is occasionally or consistently absent, you develop an internal working model of yourself as undeserving of love.<\/p>\n<p>Difficulties relating to others are characteristic of personality disorders in all 3 clusters, and some studies have even found that early attachments can effectively alter your genes related to behavioral difficulties<sup><a id=\"cite4\" href=\"#ref4\">4<\/a><\/sup>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/attachment-theory\/john-bowlby\/\">Bowlby<\/a> himself believed that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/blog\/insecure-attachment-in-childhood\/\">insecure attachment styles<\/a> were at the core of personality disorders &#8211; so how does an insecure attachment style become a risk factor for personality disorders?<\/p>\n<h3>Insecure Attachment as a Risk Factor<\/h3>\n<p>Insecure attachment styles are a form of survival &#8211; in an environment where you need to be self-reliant, an avoidant attachment pattern helps you to succeed, while attachment anxiety can be an effective survival strategy in an unpredictable environment<sup><a id=\"cite5\" href=\"#ref5\">5<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n<p>Some psychologists suggest that the caregiver&#8217;s attachment behavior signals the social environment to the infant, which could explain why our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/blog\/four-attachment-styles\/\">attachment styles<\/a> affect us so significantly &#8211; we&#8217;re not just responding to our caregiver&#8217;s behavior, but to the setting we were born into, which we understand through our caregiver&#8217;s behavior<sup><a id=\"cite5b\" href=\"#ref5\">5<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n<p>This also shows how difficult it can be to untangle whether insecure attachments cause personality disorders, or whether both are caused by another third factor. For example, the 2007 twin study suggested that anxious attachment and emotional dysregulation share the same genetic influences<sup><a id=\"cite1b\" href=\"#ref1\">1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-40906\" src=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Insecure-Attachment-as-Survival.webp\" alt=\"Insecure Attachment and personality disorders\" width=\"550\" height=\"655\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Insecure-Attachment-as-Survival.webp 1152w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Insecure-Attachment-as-Survival-252x300.webp 252w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Insecure-Attachment-as-Survival-860x1024.webp 860w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Insecure-Attachment-as-Survival-768x914.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Insecure-Attachment-as-Survival-840x1000.webp 840w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Insecure-Attachment-as-Survival-800x952.webp 800w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Insecure-Attachment-as-Survival-630x750.webp 630w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Insecure-Attachment-as-Survival-617x734.webp 617w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Insecure-Attachment-as-Survival-600x714.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Insecure-Attachment-as-Survival-150x179.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Insecure-Attachment-as-Survival-1000x1190.webp 1000w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Insecure-Attachment-as-Survival-420x500.webp 420w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Insecure-Attachment-as-Survival-400x476.webp 400w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Insecure-Attachment-as-Survival-247x294.webp 247w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Insecure-Attachment-as-Survival-92x110.webp 92w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The reality is that lots of factors, biological and environmental, likely play into both attachment and personality development, which in turn interact with each other and our environment, and even our genetics<sup><a id=\"cite4b\" href=\"#ref4\">4<\/a><\/sup>. Because the relationships are quite complex, attachment insecurity doesn&#8217;t always lead to personality disorders &#8211; but it&#8217;s often closely linked.<\/p>\n<p>By the same logic, personality disorders don&#8217;t always have to lead to attachment insecurity, but they can easily co-occur because of their shared traits and the difficulties that personality disorders cause in relationships. The same factors that support attachment security &#8211; secure, predictable, and safe environments &#8211; can also help to protect against the development of personality disorders.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a style=\"color: #fff!important; background-color: #604c8d!important; border-radius: 10px; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; font-size: 20px; display: inline-block; padding: 12px 20px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/personal-courses\/attachment-repair-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">START YOUR ATTACHMENT HEALING JOURNEY<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>The Role of Childhood Trauma and Disrupted Bonding<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/psychology\/7-trauma-types\/\">Traumatic experiences<\/a> can affect our attachments and the way we feel about ourselves and the world at any age, including in childhood. Studies have found correlations between childhood trauma and personality development, including and in some cases especially emotional neglect<sup><a id=\"cite5c\" href=\"#ref5\">5<\/a><\/sup>, <sup><a id=\"cite6\" href=\"#ref6\">6<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n<p>In one recent study, childhood maltreatment was found to double the risk of personality disorders<sup><a id=\"cite7\" href=\"#ref7\">7<\/a><\/sup>. The kind of maltreatment experienced can influence the kind of traits that develop; physical abuse has been associated with higher risk of Antisocial PD symptoms, for instance, while sexual abuse has been associated with higher risk of BPD symptoms<sup><a id=\"cite8\" href=\"#ref8\">8<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n<p>However, it&#8217;s also noted that children are resilient, so traumatic childhoods don&#8217;t always lead to personality disorders &#8211; in fact, in most cases, they don&#8217;t.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-40905\" src=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Childhood-Trauma-Personality-Disorder-Risk.webp\" alt=\"Childhood Trauma &amp; Personality Disorder Risk\" width=\"550\" height=\"932\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Childhood-Trauma-Personality-Disorder-Risk.webp 1152w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Childhood-Trauma-Personality-Disorder-Risk-177x300.webp 177w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Childhood-Trauma-Personality-Disorder-Risk-604x1024.webp 604w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Childhood-Trauma-Personality-Disorder-Risk-768x1302.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Childhood-Trauma-Personality-Disorder-Risk-906x1536.webp 906w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Childhood-Trauma-Personality-Disorder-Risk-885x1500.webp 885w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Childhood-Trauma-Personality-Disorder-Risk-590x1000.webp 590w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Childhood-Trauma-Personality-Disorder-Risk-800x1356.webp 800w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Childhood-Trauma-Personality-Disorder-Risk-442x750.webp 442w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Childhood-Trauma-Personality-Disorder-Risk-617x1046.webp 617w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Childhood-Trauma-Personality-Disorder-Risk-600x1017.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Childhood-Trauma-Personality-Disorder-Risk-150x254.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Childhood-Trauma-Personality-Disorder-Risk-1000x1695.webp 1000w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Childhood-Trauma-Personality-Disorder-Risk-295x500.webp 295w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Childhood-Trauma-Personality-Disorder-Risk-400x678.webp 400w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Childhood-Trauma-Personality-Disorder-Risk-247x419.webp 247w, https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Childhood-Trauma-Personality-Disorder-Risk-65x110.webp 65w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Which Attachment Patterns Connect to Different Personality Disorders?<\/h2>\n<p>You might have noticed that some of these personality disorder traits are already similar to the characteristics of insecure attachment. It makes sense, then, that they tend to correlate &#8211; but this still doesn&#8217;t mean that one causes the other.<\/p>\n<p>It also doesn&#8217;t mean that if you have an insecure attachment style, then you must have a personality disorder. Rather, it means that some of the traits we see in personality disorders are extreme expressions of the same traits that exist along a broad spectrum within attachment insecurity.<\/p>\n<p>Below, we&#8217;ll explore how each insecure attachment style connects to different personality disorders as it&#8217;s explained in psychological literature.<\/p>\n<h2>Anxious Attachment and Personality Disorders<\/h2>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/blog\/anxious-attachment\/\">anxious, or anxious-preoccupied, attachment style<\/a> is marked by a heightened sensitivity to rejection and fear of abandonment. When this is extreme, making sure others stick around can overshadow our other priorities.<\/p>\n<p>The anxious-preoccupied attachment style has been associated with Histrionic, Dependent, and Avoidant Personality Disorders<sup><a id=\"cite4c\" href=\"#ref4\">4<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Personality Disorder<\/th>\n<th>Shared Traits with Anxious Attachment<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Histrionic<\/td>\n<td>Intense emotions, trusting of others, easily influenced, difficulty with impulse control.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Dependent<\/td>\n<td>Fear of abandonment\/separation, urge to cling, lack of confidence, need for others&#8217; approval.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Avoidant<\/td>\n<td>Sensitive to others&#8217; judgement, intense fear of rejection.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Avoidant Attachment and Personality Disorders<\/h2>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/blog\/avoidant-attachment-style\/\">avoidant, or dismissive-avoidant, attachment style<\/a> is characterized by a need for independence that grows from a mistrust in others. In its most extreme form, it could lead someone to a distinct lack of interest in others or mistrust so extreme we lose connection with reality.<\/p>\n<p>The avoidant attachment style has been found to correlate with Narcissistic, Antisocial, Schizoid, and Paranoid Personality Disorders<sup><a id=\"cite4d\" href=\"#ref4\">4<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Personality Disorder<\/th>\n<th>Shared Traits with Avoidant Attachment<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Narcissistic<\/td>\n<td>High but unstable self-esteem that can be deeply affected by criticism from others, even though they won&#8217;t show it. Lower empathy.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Antisocial<\/td>\n<td>Lower interest in others&#8217; wellbeing.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Schizoid<\/td>\n<td>Detachment from social relationships and indifference to intimacy.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Paranoid<\/td>\n<td>Mistrust and suspicion of others, strong walls up.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a style=\"color: #fff!important; background-color: #604c8d!important; border-radius: 10px; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; font-size: 20px; display: inline-block; padding: 12px 20px;\" href=\"https:\/\/quiz.attachmentproject.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">DISCOVER YOUR ATTACHMENT STYLE<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Fearful-Avoidant Attachment and Personality Disorders<\/h2>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/blog\/fearful-avoidant-attachment-style\/\">fearful-avoidant attachment style<\/a> is characterized by both high attachment avoidance and high attachment anxiety. Often confused with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/blog\/disorganized-attachment\/\">attachment <\/a>disorgani<a href=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/blog\/disorganized-attachment\/\">zation<\/a>, the two share traits but are actually different experiences (more on disorganized attachment below).<\/p>\n<p>Fearful-avoidant attachment is associated with Paranoid, Schizotypical, Avoidant, Borderline, Obsessive-Compulsive, and Narcissistic Personality Disorders<sup><a id=\"cite4e\" href=\"#ref4\">4<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Personality Disorder<\/th>\n<th>Shared Traits with Fearful-Avoidant Attachment<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Paranoid<\/td>\n<td>Mistrust and suspicion of others, strong walls up.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Schizotypal<\/td>\n<td>High anxiety around close relationships and intense mistrust of others.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Avoidant<\/td>\n<td>Sensitive to others&#8217; judgement, intense fear of rejection.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Borderline<\/td>\n<td>High emotions and intense fear of abandonment when the attachment is activated. Easily switch between wanting closeness and separation from attachment figures.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Obsessive-Compulsive<\/td>\n<td>May struggle with lack of control due to an unpredictable attachment system.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Narcissistic<\/td>\n<td>High but unstable self-esteem that can be deeply affected by criticism from others. May have lower empathy when the attachment system is deactivated.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2>Disorganized Attachment and Personality Disorders<\/h2>\n<p>When we&#8217;re repeatedly frightened by our caregiving environment, such as witnessing anger in our caregiver, enduring a major separation, or suffering abuse, we can develop attachment disorganization.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/blog\/disorganized-attachment\/\">Disorganized attachment<\/a> is often confused with the fearful-avoidant attachment style, but in this case, we refer to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/attachment-theory\/mary-main\/\">Main<\/a> &amp; Solomon&#8217;s original understanding of disorganization as an additional classification on top of the three infant attachment styles<sup><a id=\"cite9\" href=\"#ref9\">9<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n<p>A disorganized attachment system has been associated particularly with Borderline Personality Disorder. Both are commonly &#8211; though not in all instances &#8211; linked with a history of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/psychology\/attachment-trauma\/\">trauma<\/a>, intense emotions, and a disrupted sense of self.<\/p>\n<p>If we already find it difficult to understand our own and others&#8217; intentions and feelings because of attachment disorganization, this could contribute to difficulties with others that we experience in BPD.<\/p>\n<h2>The Dark Triad and Attachment Patterns<\/h2>\n<p>The Dark Triad is a group of 3 personality traits first grouped together by Paulhus and Williams in 2002<sup><a id=\"cite10\" href=\"#ref10\">10<\/a><\/sup>. Paulhus and Williams argued that narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism were different but overlapping traits, stating:<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;To varying degrees, all three entail a socially malevolent character with behavior tendencies toward self-promotion, emotional coldness, duplicity, and aggressiveness.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>They defined these traits as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Narcissism:<\/strong> grandiosity, entitlement, dominance, superiority.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Psychopathy:<\/strong> high impulsivity, thrill-seeking, low empathy, low anxiety.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Machiavellianism:<\/strong> manipulation of others, coldness.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>While just being high on these traits doesn&#8217;t lead to a clinical diagnosis, they have been linked strongly with Cluster B personality disorders<sup><a id=\"cite11\" href=\"#ref11\">11<\/a><\/sup>. Dark Triad traits have also been linked with attachment insecurity: specifically, high secondary psychopathy (psychopathy arising from distress and anxiety) and low narcissism predict attachment anxiety, while high Machiavellianism, high primary psychopathy (psychopathy without anxiety) and high secondary psychopathy predict attachment avoidance<sup><a id=\"cite12\" href=\"#ref12\">12<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n<h2>Can Attachment-Based Therapy Help Personality Disorders?<\/h2>\n<p>Therapies that use attachment theory, such as Mentalization-Based Therapy (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/psychology\/mentalization-based-therapy-mbt\/\">MBT<\/a>), can be helpful for personality disorders &#8211; in fact, MBT was developed specifically with BPD in mind. Bowlby theorized that psychotherapy, or talk therapy, serves to provide us with a secure base, which could be the first we&#8217;ve ever experienced<sup><a id=\"cite4f\" href=\"#ref4\">4<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n<p>From this secure base and with the modeling of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.attachmentproject.com\/blog\/secure-attachment\/\">secure attachment<\/a>, we can learn how to have secure attachments to others and slowly change our internal working models. While secure attachment styles aren&#8217;t necessarily the &#8220;cure&#8221; to personality disorders, building attachment security can help with some of the symptoms &#8211; particularly those associated with intense social anxiety, fear of rejection, or avoidance of others.<\/p>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>Attachment theory gives us a useful framework to understand how our early environments influence our personality development. The relationship between attachment and personality is complex, but the links between attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and certain personality disorders have been demonstrated in scientific research.<\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re interested in support with symptom management for personality disorders, attachment-based therapy like MBT could help you to build a more secure attachment style. If you&#8217;re struggling with a personality disorder, other kinds of therapy are also available &#8211; it&#8217;s important to find the right treatment for you, and this can look different for everybody.<\/p>\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<h3>Can you have a personality disorder without insecure attachment?<\/h3>\n<p>It is possible to have a personality disorder and a secure attachment style, but many personality disorders are characterized by extreme versions of the same difficulties we experience with insecure attachment styles and lead to challenging relationships with others. Due to this overlap, insecure attachments are very common in personality disorders.<\/p>\n<h3>Which attachment style is most linked to personality disorders?<\/h3>\n<p>Different attachment styles are linked to different personality disorders. According to a 2015 review (Levy et al.), fearful-avoidance is related to the highest number of personality disorders.<\/p>\n<h3>Can secure attachment develop if you have a personality disorder?<\/h3>\n<p>If you have a personality disorder, developing a secure attachment style can be difficult, but it is possible. Attachment-based therapies can help.<\/p>\n<h3>Are personality disorders caused by bad parenting?<\/h3>\n<p>Personality disorders are caused by lots of factors. While parenting does play a role, and experiencing difficult caregiver relationships is a risk factor, having a personality disorder doesn&#8217;t necessarily mean your parents did a bad job.<\/p>\n<h3>Do all people with insecure attachment develop personality disorders?<\/h3>\n<p>Having an insecure attachment style doesn&#8217;t mean you&#8217;ll develop a personality disorder, although there may be a slightly higher risk because of their shared experiences.<\/p>\n<h3>How early can personality disorders be detected?<\/h3>\n<p>Personality disorders start in adolescence or early adulthood, and some can&#8217;t be diagnosed until the age of 18.<\/p>\n<h2>References<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"ref1\"><em>Crawford TN, John Livesley W, Jang KL, Shaver PR, Cohen P, Ganiban J. Insecure attachment and personality disorder: A twin study of adults. European Journal of Personality: Published for the European Association of Personality Psychology. 2007 Mar;21(2):191-208.<\/em><\/li>\n<li id=\"ref2\"><em>American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed., text rev. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2022.<\/em><\/li>\n<li id=\"ref3\"><em>Vukasovi\u0107 T, Bratko D. Heritability of personality: A meta-analysis of behavior genetic studies. Psychological bulletin. 2015 Jul;141(4):769.<\/em><\/li>\n<li id=\"ref4\"><em>Levy KN, Scala J, Temes CM, Clouthier TL. An integrative attachment theory framework of personality disorders. 2015.<\/em><\/li>\n<li id=\"ref5\"><em>Y\u00f6yen EG. Relationship between childhood trauma and personality typology. Balkan and Near Eastern Journal of Social Sciences. 2017;3(1):123-9.<\/em><\/li>\n<li id=\"ref6\"><em>de Carvalho HW, Pereira R, Frozi J, Bisol LW, Ottoni GL, Lara DR. Childhood trauma is associated with maladaptive personality traits. Child Abuse &amp; Neglect. 2015 Jun 1;44:18-25.<\/em><\/li>\n<li id=\"ref7\"><em>Wang WL, Hung HY, Chung CH, Hsu JW, Huang KL, Chan YY, Chien WC, Chen MH. Risk of personality disorders among childhood maltreatment victims: A nation-wide population-based study in Taiwan. Journal of affective disorders. 2022 May 15;305:28-36.<\/em><\/li>\n<li id=\"ref8\"><em>Johnson JG, Cohen P, Brown J, Smailes EM, Bernstein DP. Childhood maltreatment increases risk for personality disorders during early adulthood. Archives of general psychiatry. 1999 Jul 1;56(7):600-6.<\/em><\/li>\n<li id=\"ref9\"><em>Main M, Solomon J. Procedures for identifying infants as disorganized\/disoriented during the Ainsworth Strange Situation. Attachment in the preschool years: Theory, research, and intervention. 1990;1:121-60.<\/em><\/li>\n<li id=\"ref10\"><em>Paulhus DL, Williams KM. The dark triad of personality: Narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. 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Personality and Individual Differences. 2018 Jan 1;120:202-8.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n            <\/div>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"parent":23224,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-v2.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-40529","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Personality Disorders and Attachment Theory: BPD, NPD &amp; More<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Explore the link between attachment theory and personality disorders. 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