Personality Disorders in Modern Life [Hardcover]

Theodore Millon (Author), Roger Davis (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0471323551 | ISBN-13: 978-0471323556 | Publication Date: January 15, 2000 | Edition: 1

"Personalities are like impressionistic paintings. At a distance, each person is ‘all of a piece’; up close, each is a bewildering complexity of moods, cognitions, and motives." —Theodore Millon Exploring the continuum from normal personality traits to the diagnosing and treatment of severe cases of personality disorders, this book is unique in its coverage of both the historical forerunners and the contemporary theorists. Attention to detail and in-depth discussion of the subtleties involved in these debilitating personality disorders make this book an ideal companion to the DSM-IV. This vital resource features:

• Discussion of the developmental aspects of personality disorders
• Balanced coverage of the major theoretical perspectives — biological, psychodynamic, interpersonal, cognitive, and evolutionary
• Individual chapters on all DSM-IV personality disorders and their subtypes

Case studies, used throughout the text, bring to life the many faces of these disorders. This book will enlighten the reader’s understanding of others while illuminating the inner working of human personalities.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"William James would certainly consider Personality Disorders in Modern Life a fine tribute to mark the end of the first century of the scientific study of personality disorders. It is an exemplary book to usher in the next century of research and developments in the exciting and ever-changing field of personality disorders." (Contemporary Psychology, 10/01)

"...you should certainly read what Millon has to say about the personality disorders." (Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapy, January 2001)

From the Back Cover

A revision of the leading textbook on personality disorders by renowned expert Theodore Millon

"Personalities are like impressionistic paintings. At a distance, each person is ‘all of a piece’; up close, each is a bewildering complexity of moods, cognitions, and motives."
–Theodore Millon

Exploring the continuum from normal personality traits to the diagnosis and treatment of severe cases of personality disorders, Personality Disorders in Modern Life, Second Edition is unique in its coverage of both important historical figures and contemporary theorists in the field. Its content spans all the major disorders–Antisocial, Avoidant, Depressive, Compulsive, Histrionic, Narcissistic, Paranoid, Schizoid, and Borderline–as well as their many subtypes. Attention to detail and in-depth discussion of the subtleties involved in these debilitating personality disorders make this book an ideal companion to the DSM-IV™.

Fully updated with the latest research and theory, this important text features:

• Discussion of the distinctive clinical features and developmental roots of personality disorders
• Balanced coverage of the major theoretical perspectives–biological, psychodynamic, interpersonal, cognitive, and evolutionary
• Individual chapters on all DSM-IV™ personality disorders and their several subtypes and mixtures
• Case studies throughout the text that bring to life the many faces of these disorders

Including a new assessment section that singles out behavioral indicators considered to have positive predictive power for the disorders, this Second Edition also includes a special focus on developmental, gender, and cultural issues specific to each disorder. A comprehensive reference suitable for today’s practitioners, Personality Disorders in Modern Life, Second Edition features a clear style that also makes it a valuable resource for advanced undergraduate and graduate students. The most thorough book of its kind, this Second Edition is a powerful, practical resource for all trainees and professionals in key mental health fields, such as psychology, social work, and nursing. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 581 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (January 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471323551
• ISBN-13: 978-0471323556
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,296,800 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An absolutely wonderful book on personality., April 10, 2005

By 

Robert Johnson (Bend, OR, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Personality Disorders in Modern Life (Hardcover)

As an "advanced layman" interested in personality, I can fully endorse all that has been said by others about this book. It's not often that you find a book intended as a textbook that's....hard to put down, but this book certainly qualifies.

One rather missleading aspect of the title is its' implication that the book is only about the more pathological aspects of personality, and although the book is indeed organized along the lines of the DSM defined personality disorders, Millon makes an ongoing point within every section that the severity of each of the disorders exists along a continum, ranging from "normal" to "extream".

Those within the "normal" range on each disorder illustrate aspects of personality that are common to almost every one of us, and as such, the book provides equally comprehensive insights into normal aspects of personality as well.

If you are truely interested in personality in it's full range of variation, I would not allow yourself to be detered by the books' price. Millon is a stunning intelect, and I believe you will come away from this quite readable volume with the same enthusiastic response as others who have reviewed it.

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First class resource on the little understood world of PD., June 7, 2005

By 

Rocco B. Rubino "Rocco R." (Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Personality Disorders in Modern Life (Hardcover)

Theodore Milon's work on personality disorder's is a tour de force of the little understood world of "personality disorders in modern life."

This is an outstanding book, both as a text for the advanced master's level student, or as a stand-alone reference for the clinician looking to delve deeper into this mysterious world.

Dr. Milon cogently and meticulously dissects each disorder and provides case vignettes to aid the reader in grasping each entity for what it is, if that is possible.

Highly recommended. Encyclopedic in scope. Scholarly in its depth. 5+ stars.

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific Personality Textbook, March 29, 2005

By 

K. Finlayson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Personality Disorders in Modern Life (Hardcover)

For those looking for the perfect Masters level textbook on Personality this is the one. Throughout the entire book, the author frames the discussion from the various therapeutic perspective: cognitive, biologic, psychodynamic, interpersonal, and evolutionary-neurodevelopmental. They cover functional and structural domains and contrast each personality type with related personality structures. They also break each personality disorder and trait into variations. Their incorporation of personality trait with disorder would allow instructors of personality to incorporate the various testing within the personality disorder framework. The book is very weak on therapy strategies and techniques for each disorder, but that is not why one would want the book. A terrific textbook on personality disorder.