Personality Disorders

In completing the case study, students will be addressing the following learning objectives:

Explain what is meant by personality disorder.

Define personality disorder.

Apply the nursing process to the care of clients with personality disorders.

1. Charles, a 29-year-old white man, has been admitted to the psychiatric hospital. Charles does not seem depressed and openly discusses that he had attempted suicide after he had burned his employer's office and truck. Charles told the student nurse that he had been mad at his boss because he was a "slave driver" and shows no remorse for destroying his employer's office and truck. Charles has limited contact with his mother, who is his only family support. Charles is divorced and states that his ex-wife just got pregnant so that he would marry her. They have one child, and he is several months behind in child support. Other information that Charles gave the student nurse in an interview included that he was an ex-marine but had a dishonorable discharge due to stealing some extra government supplies that he said no one needed. In the treatment team, the psychiatrist stated that Charles was not suicidal and diagnoses him with antisocial personality disorder.

a. What is an antisocial personality disorder, and what are its symptoms?

b. Applying the nurse process to the treatment of Charles, what specific interventions would be most appropriate for the individual with antisocial personality disorder?