## Cluster B Personality Disorders: Core Features **Key Point:** Cluster B disorders are characterized by dramatic, emotional, and unpredictable behavior patterns, NOT social withdrawal or emotional restriction. ### Cluster B Characteristics Cluster B encompasses four personality disorders: - Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) - Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) - Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD) - Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) ### Defining Traits of Cluster B | Feature | Description | |---------|-------------| | **Emotional Expression** | Dramatic, intense, and often labile | | **Interpersonal Style** | Attention-seeking, manipulative, or exploitative | | **Behavioral Pattern** | Impulsive, risk-taking, often reckless | | **Self-Image** | Grandiose (NPD), unstable (BPD), or attention-focused (HPD) | | **Substance Use** | High comorbidity with substance abuse disorders | **High-Yield:** All Cluster B disorders share a common thread of **externalized dyscontrol** — problems manifest outwardly through dramatic behavior, not inward withdrawal. ### Why Option 3 Is Wrong **Social detachment and restricted affect** are hallmark features of **Cluster A** (Schizoid, Schizotypal, Paranoid), NOT Cluster B. This is the defining distinction between the clusters: - **Cluster A** = Odd, eccentric, withdrawn - **Cluster B** = Dramatic, emotional, extroverted - **Cluster C** = Anxious, fearful, inhibited **Clinical Pearl:** A patient with Cluster B disorder will typically seek attention and engagement (even if maladaptively), whereas a Cluster A patient will actively avoid social contact and emotional expression. [cite:DSM-5 Section II]
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