So what makes a dysfunctional personality? First, let’s consider what we mean by the word “functional." An individual is functional when they are able to effectively work toward realizing valued goal states, given the stressors and affordances they face.

Now, when clinicians are considering the functioning of one’s personality, they are especially looking at two broad domains, that of identity and interpersonal relations. Thus, the question of what is a dysfunctional personality broadly comes down to questions of how does the individual function in these domains, especially when faced with stressors? There are specific things one can look for.

When examining identity, the following domains can be assessed: 1) The degree of integration and integrity in the self-concept, especially under stress or duress; and 2) the capacity for and quality of self-directedness. A healthy/resilient (aka functional) identity is characterized by a general degree of self-acceptance and compassion, the ability to have appropriate boundaries relative to significant others, the ability to tolerate a range of emotions while maintaining a consistent sense of self, the ability to self-reflect and accurately narrate one’s experiences, and the capacity to recognize and experience different self-states but not become unglued, overly conflicted or dramatically inconsistent in response to the pressures of such different states. In addition, a functional identity is associated with the capacity to effectively set long term goals and live according to internalized standards that function as guides, but have a feeling of ownership of those standards and not be overly rigid or inflexible in relationship to them.

Support the show