Personality disorders are grouped with mental retardation in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual because:
A) improvement tends to be minimal over the life course
B) both involve seriously reduced intellectual functioning
C) they are thought to have similar biological causes
D) they both result in social exclusion

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Personality disorders are grouped with mental retardation in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual because improvement tends to be minimal over the life course. While mental retardation involves reduced intellectual functioning, personality disorders do not necessarily involve cognitive impairment. Instead, they are characterized by patterns of thought, feeling, and behavior that are inflexible and cause significant distress and impairment in social, occupational, or other areas of functioning. Similarly, personality disorders and mental retardation do not necessarily have similar biological causes.

Personality Disorders Are Grouped with Mental Retardation in the Diagnostic