argumentative essay on personality disorder

Personality Disorders: Types, Causes and Impacts Essay

Introduction, defining personality disorders, types of personality disorders, origins of personality disorders, impacts of personality disorders.

The personality of an individual influence how he acts and it influences his perception of self and others. While people have different personalities, there are some common behaviors and patterns of thinking that are typical in a healthy personality. People who display deviant personality traits, often characterized by dysfunctional thinking patterns and uncontrolled emotions, are considered to have personality disorders (PD).

Personality disorders affect about 10% of the American population. This considerably high prevalence rate is of great concern since personality disorders are a significant source of psychiatric morbidity (Sperry, 2013). The disorders also lead to functional impairment affecting the everyday life of the individual.

To help increase our understanding of personality disorders, this paper will discuss the various types of disorders. It will highlight the causes and impacts of these disorders and proceed to explain treatments for personality disorders.

Personality disorder is the term used to refer to several different subtypes of maladaptive personality traits as identified by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV (DSM-IV). Stricker and Widiger (2003) assert that personality disorders arise when “personality traits are inflexible and maladaptive and cause significant functional impairment or subjective distress to the individual” (p. 149).

Community based studies of personality disorders reveal that the prevalence rates of personality disorders in the US is between 6 and 10% (Samuels, 2011).

Tyrer (2007) states, “”it is still impossible to conclude with confidence that personality disorders are, or are not, mental illness” (p.1524). The reason for this is that there is an ambiguity in the definition of what personality disorders and at the present, basic information about this condition is still insufficient.

The DSM-IV outlines some general diagnostic criterion that can be used to identify personality disorder. To begin with, a person with this disorder will have demonstrated enduring patterns of inner experience and behavior that is contrary to the socially acceptable behavior.

This pattern of deviant behavior is manifested in how the person perceives and interprets himself and other people, the appropriateness of emotional response, and impulse control (Perry, Presniak & Olson, 2013). This enduring pattern is inflexible and evident in a wide range of a person’s social and personal life. It eventually leads to distress or impairment in a person’s social and professional life.

Personality disorders are recognizable through certain measurable phenomena including surface traits such as impulsiveness, specific behaviors such as self-mutilation, beliefs or cognitions such as an exaggerated feeling of self-importance, and self-reported feelings such as feelings of emptiness (Perry, et al., 2013).

An important consideration with a personality disorder is that it occurs over a long duration of time. In most cases, the condition can be traced back to a person’s adolescence or early adulthood years.

Demographic investigations reveal that personality disorder is associated with younger age with prevalence in the 16 to 39-year-old age group (Fairfax, 2011). The prevalence of personality disorders is influenced by the socioeconomic status of a person with a bias against individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

Paranoid personality disorder (PPD) is a disorder whose primary characteristic is an all-pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of another individual. Stricker and Widiger (2003) state that the person with PPD will show a tendency to read malevolent intentions in innocent or neutral situations. This inflated suspiciousness will make it hard for the individual with PPD to get along with others.

A person with PPD is likely to be overly argumentative and hostile towards others. The person will blame others for his own inadequacies and difficulties in life. This makes it hard for the person to work collaborate or closely with others. Since the individual with PPD tends to be rigid, controlling, critical, and prejudicial, he is hard and unpleasant to work with. PPD generally tends to afflict more men than women (Stricker & Widiger, 2003)

Schizotypal Personality Disorder (SPD) is characterized by introvertedness and the person suffering from this disorder will appear cold and distant. Perry et al. (2013) note that SPD results in disordered thinking and autistic fantasies.

Persons with STPD demonstrate extreme social anxiety due to their paranoid fears. A striking physical attribute of a person with STPD is that he will appear odd, eccentric and with peculiar behavior. Due to the eccentricity and the tendency to misinterpret or over personalize events, the individual will have difficulty being understood by others. If the person has friends outside of his immediate family, they are very few.

People with STPD drift towards fringe groups that support their unusual ideas such as believing in telepathy and clairvoyance. Individuals with STPD often make use of social isolation as a coping strategy.

This strategy is adopted since the defects in the person’s cognitive-perceptual evaluation lead to discomfort within social situations and misperceptions (Stricker & Widiger, 2003). In extreme cases, STPD might lead to psychotic episodes and a small proportion of persons with STPD end up developing the Axis 1 psychotic disorder, schizophrenia.

Antisocial personality disorder (APD) is a personality disorder distinguished by patterns of behavior that show a high disregard and violation of the rights of other people. The individual with ASPD will have character traits such as deceitfulness, irresponsibility, irritability and predisposition to acts of criminality (Stricker & Widiger, 2003). ASPD patients are also exploitative and lack the ability to empathize with others.

This combined with the impulsivity demonstrated by ASPD patients, makes them prone to committing reckless actions without considering the safety of others. Tyrer (2007) documents that people with ASPD lack remorse even when they have inflicted unnecessary harm on other people.

ASPD has a higher prevalence in men and there is a correlation between this condition and substance abuse. It is also common among those from lower socioeconomic classes.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by a pattern of impulsiveness and high instability in interpersonal relationship and self-image. The severity and chronicity of this disorder’s symptoms make it especially detrimental. A person diagnosed with BPD will have frequent and intense negative emotion.

BPD patients are unsure of their self-image and they have doubts concerning their personal views and even those of others. People diagnosed with BPD have exaggerated fears of being abandoned (Kernberg & Yeomans, 2013).

They may have paranoid ideations and are prone to engaging self-defeating behavior such as substance abuse and making bad decisions that destroy good relationships. BPD predisposes the individual to suicidal ideations and behaviors. The risk of suicide is significantly higher with research indicating that 10% of patients with borderline personality disorder commit suicide (Kernberg & Yeomans, 2013).

In addition to this, BPD is associated with acting out, passive-aggressive behavior and dissociation. There is an overrepresentation of BPD in psychiatric settings, with studies approximating that around 20% of psychiatric patients suffer from this condition (Fairfax, 2011). BPD is more often diagnosed in women with a 75% diagnostic bias in favor of females.

Histrionic personality disorder (HPD) is typified by excessive emotionality and attention-seeking by an individual. The person diagnosed with HPD will engage in behavior that is meant to be provocative or inappropriately intimate. According to Benjamin (2002), the person’s actions will either be flirtatious of focused on physical attractiveness.

In addition to this, the individual will demonstrate superficial emotional expression and tend to be melodramatic.

The HPD patient has a pathological need to be loved and desired and will use any means to be involved with others on an intimate basis (Benjamin, 2002). In most cases, the individual will wrongfully assume that a relationship is more intimate than it actually is since the person has an innate desire for romantic fantasy.

Avoidant personality disorder (AVPD) has extreme timidity and inhibition as the major characteristic. The person with AVPD feels inadequate and demonstrates hypersensitivity in social situations. Livesley (2003) states that the individual diagnosed with AVPD will have a strong belief that he is inept and inferior to that.

This leads to a low self-esteem and social phobia. Due to the high level of sensitivity, the individual is likely to develop mood disorders and anxiety disorders. AVPD is one of the most prevalent personality disorders since timidity, social insecurity, and shyness is common in the clinical setting and the general population.

The final common personality disorder is Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), which is typified by a preoccupation with perfectionism and control. Individuals diagnosed with this condition tend to be rigid and they are preoccupied with rules and details (Livesley, 2003).

Other people view them as inflexible and they are often described as control freaks. Due to the need for perfectionism, persons with OCPD are reluctant to delegate tasks and are often indecisive.

There is a strong relationship between sexual abuse and personality disorders. According to Livesley (2003), upwards of 70% of patients with borderline personality have a history of abuse. A study of patients with borderline personality disorder revealed that about one-third of these patients reported severe abuse involving an incestuous perpetrator, severe sexual acts and high frequency or duration (Livesley, 2003).

While sexual abuse does not necessarily cause personality disorder, these statistics demonstrate that abuse increases the probability of psychopathology. Abusive acts contribute to the development of personality disorders since they invalidate the recipient by ignoring personal boundaries, needs, and by violating expectations of autonomy, and freedom of choice.

Low socioeconomic conditions also increase the likelihood that a person will develop a personality disorder. Samuels (2011) reveals that individuals who have dropped out of high school are more likely to suffer from personality disorders than their peers who completed school.

This relationship might be because economic impoverishment contributes to the development of antisocial traits and this increases the likelihood of personality disorders occurring.

There is considerable support from twin and family studies that genetics contribute to the development of personality disorders. The genetic disposition is partly because personality traits are inheritable and these traits play a significant role in personality disorders (Livesley, 2003).

Genetic disposition for lack of mood and impulse control might increase the probability of developing personality disorders such as BPD, ASPD and PPD.

Some personality disorders cause physical damage to the individual suffering from the condition. Personality disorders such as BPD are accompanied by self-destructive behaviors by the patient. Kernberg and Yeomans (2013) document that a major prognostic issue in severe personality disorders is the presence of para-suicidal tendencies. The patient will engage in self-harming behaviors and also exhibit chronic suicidal tendencies.

The patient will have many repetitive suicidal attempts that are engaged in when he is feeling frustrated or angry. The anger and frustration that lead to the suicide attempt often appear without any trigger or apparent cause. Kernberg and Yeomans (2013) warn that without highly specialized psychotherapeutic treatment, the patient will end up succeeding in killing himself.

As evident from the definition, personality disorders lead to impairment in the individual’s occupation. The social competence of the person is distorted because of personality disorders.

For example, people with ASPD are unlikely to maintain steady employment due to their deceitfulness, aggressiveness and general irresponsibility and lack of regard for others (Livesley, 2003). Those suffering from PPD are difficult to get along with and uncooperative, which makes them unsuited for most work environments.

Personality disorders increase the risk of a person developing a psychotic disorder. While the third revision of the DSM (DSM III) officially recognized personality disorders as being different from psychosis, the relationship between the two is close. Most people with STPD develop major depression that might degenerate into a psychotic condition.

BPD was traditionally considered as a threshold psychotic disorder due to its adverse impacts and while this classification was changed, there is an overrepresentation of BPD in psychiatric settings (Sjastad, Grawe & Egeland, 2012).

Personality disorders increase the health care expenditure of a person leading to financial burdens. Individuals with personality disorders require medical attention to manage the condition. Studies indicate that personality disorders are not transient and a person will not outgrow the disease (Perry et al., 2013).

If a person fails to seek medical help, the condition will impair his social and occupational performance or even worse, lead to psychotic conditions.

A major complication in the treatment of personality disorders is that there is no single established screening or assessment tools and mental health care professionals often have to rely on self-rated questionnaires for personality disorder and structured interviews with the patient. The third revision of the DSM clearly distinguished personality disorders from other psychiatric disorders (Tyrer, 2007).

The DSM III officially recognized personality disorders as being different from psychosis and neurosis since while the condition is characterized by a sense of weak identity, the capacity to test reality is still intact in the individual.

There is a prevalent of biases and fears regarding the diagnosis of personality disorder. Clients and therapists agree that a personality disorder diagnosis can be derogatory and result in the discrimination of the patient due to the stigma attached to this disorder (Fairfax, 2011). Many patients, as well as families, find it hard to accept a diagnosis of personality disorder.

This denial leads to a postponement in the time when adequate treatment can be offered. This exposes patients who have severe personality disorders to additional risks. This greatly impedes on the ability of the disorder to be cured since personality disorder patients do better when the diagnosis is named and described.

Kernberg and Yeomans (2013) assert that in the case of personality disorders, “adequate diagnosis is the first step to an effective treatment” (p.9). Most personality disorders are under-diagnosed or misdiagnosed and this has a negative impact on the patient since effective diagnosis is necessary for appropriate treatment to be offered.

Before the mid-1950s, personality disorders were considered untreatable and clinicians expressed a sense of dread and hopelessness while dealing with these disorders. However, this changed in the late 1990s when research enabled clinicians to utilize effective and successful treatments (Dignfelder, 2004).

Since then personality disorders, including the most difficult, which is borderline personality disorder, are increasingly treatable. Dignfelder (2004) states that while the various personality disorders manifest in varied ways, they are similar in that for the vast majority of cases, these mental illnesses require professional intervention in order for remittance to occur.

There are a number of unique psychotherapies that can be used to treat personality disorders. Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps the patient to identify maladaptive behaviors or beliefs and make the necessary changes, therefore, reducing the negative moods and anxiety symptoms prevalent in some forms of PD.

It can also. Cognitive-behavioral treatment can help patients who have chronic suicidal tendencies due to their personality disorders. By using integrative cognitive cognitive-behavioral treatment, health care professionals can help to manage the condition (Livesley, 2003).

The second type of psychotherapy is dialectical behavior therapy, which helps the patient develop a healthy sense of mindfulness. Using this therapy, the individual diagnosed with PD is taught how to be aware of the current situation and to gain greater control of his emotions (Samuels, 2011). This reduces the extreme emotions that result in irritability or self-destructive behaviors among PD patients.

The final type of psychotherapy is Schema-focused therapy and it tries to change the way the individual views himself (Samuels, 2011). Since some personality disorders are caused by a dysfunctional self-image, it is possible that helping people to view themselves differently can alleviate the condition.

Health care professionals prescribe medications to personality disorder patients. Research indicates that medication does not cure personality disorders but it helps to reduce the symptoms.

Anti-anxiety medication can be used to overcome the physical symptoms that personality disorder patients suffering from excess anxiety have (Livesley, 2003). Since personality disorders predispose the person to get depressed, antidepressants can be used to manage depressive moods. Mood stabilizers can be used to reduce symptoms of aggression in the personality disorder patient.

Sperry (2013) asserts that the effectiveness of treatment outcomes is largely a function of how well treatment is suited for the particular disorder and the overall functioning of the patient. Personality disorders are characterized by pervasive patterns in psychosocial and character on the one hand and deficiencies in biological and temperamental tendencies.

Effective treatment for these disorders must, therefore, take into consideration these two unique perspectives. There is no single treatment approach to personality disorders. Instead, a combined and integrative approach that uses the various forms of therapy and medication management should be used.

Personality disorders are a major problem that might impede on the life of an individual. This paper has discussed the various types of personality disorders and some of their possible causes. It was then revealed the impacts that these disorders have. It has noted that personality disorders lead to high costs in terms of health care services utilization and cause immense human suffering.

The paper has shown that personality disorders can be managed or treated using psychotherapy and medications for symptoms of the specific disorder. However, the paper has acknowledged that personality disorders are difficult to diagnose correctly. With proper diagnosis, a patient can be treated successfully and this will enable him to live a normal life without the disabling personality disorder.

Benjamin, S.L. (2002). Interpersonal Diagnosis and Treatment of Personality Disorders. NJ: Guilford Press.

Dignfelder, S.F. (2004). Treatment for the ‘Untreatable’. Monitor Staff , 35(3), 46-47.

Fairfax , H. (2011). Re-conceiving personality disorders: Adaptations on a dimension? Counselling Psychology Quarterly , 24 (4), 313–322.

Kernberg, O., Yeomans, F.E. (2013). Borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder, depression, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and narcissistic personality disorder: Practical differential diagnosis. Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic . 77 (1), 1-22.

Livesley, J. (2003). Practical management of personality disorder . NJ: Guilford Press.

Perry, J.C., Presniak, M.D., & Olson, T. (2013). Defense Mechanisms in Schizotypal, Borderline, Antisocial, and Narcissistic Personality Disorders. Psychiatry, 76(1), 32-52.

Samuels, J. (2011). Personality disorders: Epidemiology and public health issues. International Review of Psychiatry , 23 (1), 223–233.

Sjastad, H.N. Grawe, R.W., & Egeland, J. (2012). Affective Disorders among Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder. PLoS ONE 7(12), 1-7.

Sperry, L. (2013). Handbook of Diagnosis and Treatment of DSM-IV Personality Disorders. NY: Routledge.

Stricker, G., & Widiger, T. (2003). Clinical Psychology . NY: John Wiley & Sons.

Tyrer, P. (2007). Personality diatheses: A superior explanation than disorder. Psychological Medicine , 37, 1521–1525.

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Personality disorders, characterized by enduring maladaptive patterns of behavior, cognition, and inner experience, can significantly impair an individual’s capacity to function socially and personally. Essays could explore the myriad of personality disorders such as Borderline, Narcissistic, and Antisocial Personality Disorders, elucidating their distinctive features, etiological factors, and the consequent challenges they pose to individuals and their loved ones. They might also delve into the diagnostic frameworks, treatment modalities, and the stigma often associated with personality disorders. Discussions might extend to the broader societal and ethical implications, such as the impact on criminal behavior and the justice system, as well as ongoing research aimed at better understanding and treating personality disorders. We have collected a large number of free essay examples about Personality Disorder you can find in Papersowl database. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

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People have unique personalities made up of a complex combination of different traits. Personality traits affect how people understand and relate to the world around them, as well as how they see themselves.

Ideally, people's personality traits allow them to flexibly adapt to their changing environment in ways that lead to more healthy relationships with others and better coping strategies. When people have personality traits that are less adaptive, this leads to inflexibility and unhealthy coping. For example, they may manage stress by drinking or misusing drugs, have a hard time managing their anger, and find it hard to trust and connect with others.

Personality forms early in life. It is shaped through a blend of your:

• Genes — Your parents may pass down some personality traits to you. Sometimes these traits are called your temperament.
• Environment — This includes your surroundings, events that have happened to you and around you, and relationships and patterns of interactions with family members and others.

A personality disorder is a mental health condition where people have a lifelong pattern of seeing themselves and reacting to others in ways that cause problems. People with personality disorders often have a hard time understanding emotions and tolerating distress. And they act impulsively. This makes it hard for them to relate to others, causing serious issues, and affecting their family life, social activities, work and school performance, and overall quality of life.

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In some cases, you may not know that you have a personality disorder. That's because how you think and behave seems natural to you. You also may think others are responsible for your challenges.

There are many types of personality disorders, each with important differences. These disorders are organized into three groups, or clusters, with shared features and symptoms:

Group A personality disorders

Group A personality disorders have a consistently dysfunctional pattern of thinking and behavior that reflects suspicion or lack of interest in others. They include:

Paranoid personality disorder

• Lacks trust and is suspicious of others and the reasons for their actions.
• Believes that others are trying to do harm with no reason to feel this way.
• Doubts the loyalty of others.
• Is not willing to trust others.
• Hesitates to confide in others for fear that others will use that information against them.
• Takes innocent remarks or situations that are not threatening as personal insults or attacks.
• Becomes angry or hostile to what are believed to be slights or insults.
• Has a habit of holding grudges.
• Often suspects that a spouse or sexual partner is unfaithful with no reason to feel this way.

Schizoid personality disorder

• Appears to be cold to or not interested in others.
• Almost always chooses to be alone.
• Is limited in how emotions are expressed.
• Cannot take pleasure in most activities.
• Cannot pick up typical social cues.
• Has little to no interest in having sex with another person.

Schizotypal personality disorder

• Has unusual thinking, beliefs, speech or behavior.
• Feels or thinks strange things, such as hearing a voice whisper their name.
• Has flat emotions or emotional responses that are socially unusual.
• Has social anxiety, including not being comfortable making close connections with others or not having close relationships.
• Responds to others in ways that are not proper or shows suspicion or lack of interest.
• Has "magical thinking"— the belief that their thoughts can affect other people and events.
• Believes that some casual incidents or events have hidden messages.

Group B personality disorders

Group B personality disorders have a consistently dysfunctional pattern of dramatic, overly emotional thinking or unpredictable behavior. They include:

Borderline personality disorder

• Has a strong fear of being alone or abandoned.
• Has ongoing feelings of emptiness.
• Sees self as being unstable or weak.
• Has deep relationships that are not stable.
• Has up and down moods, often due to stress when interacting with others.
• Threatens self-harm or behaves in ways that could lead to suicide.
• Is often very angry.
• Shows impulsive and risky behavior, such as having unsafe sex, gambling or binge eating.
• Has stress-related paranoia that comes and goes.

Histrionic personality disorder

• Always seeks attention.
• Is overly emotional or dramatic or stirs up sexual feelings to get attention.
• Speaks dramatically with strong opinions but has few facts or details to back them up.
• Is easily led by others.
• Has shallow emotions that change quickly.
• Is very concerned with physical appearance.
• Thinks relationships with others are closer than they are.

Narcissistic personality disorder

• Has beliefs about being special and more important than others.
• Has fantasies about power, success and being attractive to others.
• Does not understand the needs and feelings of others.
• Stretches the truth about achievements or talents.
• Expects constant praise and wants to be admired.
• Feels superior to others and brags about it.
• Expects favors and advantages without a good reason.
• Often takes advantage of others.
• Is jealous of others or believes that others are jealous of them.

Antisocial personality disorder

• Has little, if any, concern for the needs or feelings of others.
• Often lies, steals, uses false names and cons others.
• Has repeated run-ins with the law.
• Often violates the rights of others.
• Is aggressive and often violent.
• Has little, if any, concern for personal safety or the safety of others.
• Behaves impulsively.
• Is often reckless.
• Has little, if any, regret for how their behavior negatively affects others.

Group C personality disorders

Group C personality disorders have a consistently dysfunctional pattern of anxious thinking or behavior. They include:

Avoidant personality disorder

• Is very sensitive to criticism or rejection.
• Does not feel good enough, important or attractive.
• Does not take part in work activities that include contact with others.
• Is isolated.
• Does not try new activities and does not like meeting new people.
• Is extremely shy in social settings and in dealing with others.
• Fears disapproval, embarrassment or being made fun of.

Dependent personality disorder

• Relies on others too much and feels the need to be taken care of.
• Is submissive or clingy toward others.
• Fears having to take care of self if left alone.
• Lacks confidence in abilities.
• Needs a lot of advice and comforting from others to make even small decisions.
• Finds it hard to start or do projects due to lack of self-confidence.
• Finds it hard to disagree with others, fearing they will not approve.
• Endures poor treatment or abuse, even when other options are available.
• Has an urgent need to start a new relationship when a close one ends.

Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder

• Focuses too much on details, orderliness and rules.
• Thinks everything needs to be perfect and gets upset when perfection is not achieved.
• Cannot finish a project because reaching perfection is not possible.
• Needs to be in control of people, tasks and situations.
• Cannot assign tasks to others.
• Ignores friends and enjoyable activities because of too much focus on work or a project.
• Cannot throw away broken or worthless objects.
• Is rigid and stubborn.
• Is not flexible about morality, ethics or values.
• Holds very tight control over budgeting and spending money.

Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder is not the same as obsessive-compulsive disorder, which is an anxiety disorder.

Many people with one type of personality disorder also have symptoms of at least one other type. The number of symptoms a person has may vary.

When to see a doctor

If you have any symptoms of a personality disorder, see your doctor or a mental health professional. When personality disorders are not treated, they can cause serious issues in relationships and mood. Also, the ability to function and pursue personal goals may get worse without treatment.

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It's believed that personality disorders are caused by a blend of how genetics and your environment affect you. Your genes may make it more likely that you develop a personality disorder, and what happens to you in life may set a personality disorder into motion.

Risk factors

Although the specific causes of personality disorders are not known, some factors seem to increase the risk of having one:

• Specific personality traits. This includes always trying to stay away from harm, or the opposite — a strong need to seek out new activities that get the adrenaline pumping. It also includes poor impulse control.
• Early life experiences. This includes a home environment that is not stable, predictable or supportive. It also includes a history of trauma — physical neglect or abuse, emotional neglect or abuse, or sexual abuse.

Complications

Personality disorders can seriously disrupt your life and the lives of those who care about you. They may cause issues in relationships, work or school. And they can lead to social isolation, other mental health issues with addictions, as well as occupational and legal issues.

• Personality disorders. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-5-TR. 5th ed. American Psychiatric Association; 2022; https://dsm.psychiatryonline.org. Accessed Feb. 28, 2023.
• Overview of personality disorders. Merck Manual Professional Version. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/psychiatric-disorders/personality-disorders/overview-of-personality-disorders. Accessed March 2, 2023.
• What are personality disorders? American Psychiatric Association. https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/personality-disorders/what-are-personality-disorders. Accessed March 2, 2023.
• Skodol A. Overview of personality disorders. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed March 2, 2023.
• Martin RJ, et al., eds. Support for the family. In: Fanaroff and Martin's Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine: Disease of the Fetus and Infant. 11th ed. Elsevier; 2020. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed March 2, 2023.
• Nelson KJ. Pharmacotherapy for personality disorders. https://www.uptodate.com/search. Accessed March 3, 2023.
• Kavanagh BE, et al. Personality disorder increases risk of low quality of life among women with mental state disorders. Comprehensive Psychiatry. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed March 3, 2023.
• Allen ND (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. April 20, 2023.
• Sadock BJ, et al., eds. Personality disorders. In: Kaplan & Sadock's Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry. 10th ed. Wolters Kluwer; 2017. https://ovidsp.ovid.com. Accessed June 9, 2023.
• Stern TA, et al. Personality and personality disorders. In: Massachusetts General Hospital Comprehensive Clinical Psychiatry. 2nd edition. Elsevier; 2015.
• Solmi M, et al. Risk and protective factors for personality disorders: An umbrella review of published meta-analyses of case-control and cohort studies. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 2021; doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.679379.
• Bozzatello P, et al. Borderline personality disorder: Risk factors and early detection. Diagnostics. 2021; doi:10.3390/diagnostics11112142.
• Lebow JR (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. June 12, 2023.
• Skodol A. Psychotherapy for borderline personality disorder. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed June 15, 2023.

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The Link between Individual Personality Traits and Criminality: A Systematic Review

N. k. tharshini.

1 Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan 94300, Sarawak, Malaysia

Fauziah Ibrahim

2 Centre for Research in Psychology and Human Well-Being, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia; ym.ude.mku@haizuafi (F.I.); ym.ude.mku@kmihar (M.R.K.)

Mohammad Rahim Kamaluddin

Balan rathakrishnan.

3 Faculty of Psychology and Education, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Sabah, Malaysia; ym.ude.smu@nalahbr

Norruzeyati Che Mohd Nasir

4 School of Applied Psychology, Social Work and Policy, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok 06010, Kedah, Malaysia; ym.ude.muu@itayez

In addition to social and environmental factors, individual personality traits have intricately linked with maladaptive behaviour. Thus, the purpose of this article was to review the link between individual personality traits and criminality. A systematic review was conducted to obtain information regarding the link between individual personality traits with criminal behaviour in the Sage, Web of Science, APA PsycNet, Wiley Online Library, and PubMed databases. The results indicate that individual personality traits that contribute towards criminality are (i) psychopathy; (ii) low self-control; and (iii) difficult temperament. As an overall impact, the review is expected to provide in-depth understanding of the link between individual personality traits and criminality; hence, greater consideration will be given to the dimension of personality as a notable risk factor of criminal behaviour.

1. Introduction

Criminology has become an interdisciplinary field where the focal point of each study has diversely evolved from individual-level to environmental-level risk factors associated with criminal behaviour. As such, individual personality traits constitute one dimension of the bigger picture which has received significant empirical attention in recent decades, especially research linking personality traits to various measures of crime. According to Beaver (2017) [ 1 ], personality refers to the stability of individuals in regard to patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving. In general, personality traits can be categorised into four general combinations, namely (i) high control–high affiliation; (ii) low control–low affiliation; (iii) high control–low affiliation; and (iv) low control–high affiliation [ 1 ]. Some empirical research has suggested that high interpersonal control and low interpersonal affiliation are strongly interrelated with antisocial behaviour [ 1 ].

The Big Five Model of Personality suggested that five domains largely account for individual differences in personality including (i) extraversion; (ii) openness; (iii) neuroticism; (iv) agreeableness; and (v) conscientiousness [ 2 ]. Sleep (2021) [ 2 ] stated that low conscientiousness, low agreeableness, and high neuroticism increase aggression, mental distress, and antisocial behaviour among individuals. Similarly, the personality theory constructed by Eysenck (1966) (trait-psychologist) proposes a significant relationship between criminal behaviour and personality variables [ 3 ]. Based on the Eysenck personality theory, there are three fundamental factors of personality including psychoticism (P), extraversion (E), and neuroticism (N) [ 3 ]. Empirical investigations discover that delinquents score high on the P scale compared to the E and N scales [ 3 ]. More specifically, the P scale predicts those involved in violence and sexual crimes, whereas the N scale predicts serious crime and recidivism [ 3 ]. Furthermore, a great deal of research has also found that psychoticism is always connected to crime, whereas extraversion is related to younger samples (young offenders/delinquent), and neuroticism is related to older samples (adult offenders) [ 3 ].

A meta-analysis related to personality and antisocial behaviour has concluded that individuals who commit crime tend to be self-centred, hostile, adhere to unconventional values/beliefs, and have difficulty controlling their impulses [ 4 ]. In addition, compared to non-offenders, individuals who commit crimes are less sociable, more aggressive, sensation seekers, and tend to score higher for the neuroticism and psychoticism dimensions [ 5 ]. Additionally, Jones et al., (2016) [ 5 ], and Cunha et al., (2018) [ 6 ], found that individual personality traits represent a predictor of criminal behaviour regardless of gender, race, age, or geographical location. Acknowledging the role of individual personality traits in relation to criminal behaviour, the current study seeks to develop an improved understanding of personality traits to impart significant information to the existing literature in the field of crime studies.

2. Materials and Methods

This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Keywords such as “personality”; “personality traits”; “individual personality”, “maladaptive behaviour”; “crime”, and “antisocial behaviour” were typed into the Sage, Web of Science, APA PsycNet, Wiley Online Library, and PubMed databases to find the relevant information.

2.1. Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria

Studies that were included in this review are (i) full-text articles; (ii) articles published in Sage, Web of Science, APA PsycNet, Wiley Online Library, and PubMed; (iii) research with at least 20 respondents (to reduce the bias associated with a small sample size; (iv) studies that examine the link between personality traits and criminal behaviour; and (v) articles that were published from January 2016 to June 2021. Conversely, the exclusion criteria in this review were (i) duplicate publication; (ii) articles published before January 2016, (iii) studies with less than 20 respondents (due to small sample size); (iv) non-full-text articles; and (v) articles that do not reflect the link between personality traits and criminality.

2.2. Screening and Selection Process

For this review, a total of 22,608 sources were found in five well-established databases. A total number of 8007 articles were identified after duplicates were removed. After including other exclusion criteria such as non-full-text articles, year of publication and sample of studies, 127 articles were assessed for eligibility. Furthering this, 94 articles were removed at the eligibility stage since the content of the article did not clearly reflect the link between personality traits and criminality. In the end, 33 full-text articles were reviewed in this study. Figure 1 depicts the flowchart of the systematic review process, whereas Table 1 delineates the summary of articles that were reviewed in this study.

Flowchart of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA).

Summary of articles.

3. Results and Discussion

Based on the systematic review, the finding of the study stipulates that there are three major personality traits which contribute towards criminal behaviour, namely (i) psychopathy; (ii) low self-control; and (iii) difficult temperament.

3.1. Psychopathy

The term “psychopathy” is commonly used in the global literature on both empirical and theoretical grounds. Psychopathy is a clinical construct associated with emotional and behavioural disturbance, which are considered important risk factors for criminal and antisocial behaviour, criminal recidivism, sexual recidivism, and instrumental violence [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]. Most of the research concerning the measurement of psychopathy has employed Hare’s Psychopathy Checklist (now the Hare’s Psychopathy Checklist—Revised) as the main psychological assessment tool to identify the presence of psychopathic traits in an individual [ 8 ]. An individual who scores high for the psychopathy measure (usually > 30 on the PCL-R) is more likely to be short-tempered, irresponsible, egocentric, callous, display superficial charm, frequently violates social norms/values, and be unable to empathise [ 4 , 6 , 7 , 11 ]. Similarly, Boccio and Beaver (2016) [ 11 ] identified that an individual with psychopathic personality traits have a lower level of self-regulation, are manipulative, impulsive, and unable to feel remorse/guilt.

Based on the Big Five Model of Personality, scholars have stated that the psychopathy dimension is a mixture of high extraversion, low conscientiousness and agreeableness, and a combination of low and high neuroticism (depression, low anxiety, self-consciousness, vulnerability to stress, high impulsiveness, and hostility). For example, psychopathic criminals tend to commit a wider variety of crimes and are likely to recidivate faster compared to non-psychopathic criminals. In addition, the dominant conceptualization suggests that psychopathy is an inborn condition with a strong genetic component that is further escalated by environmental factors such as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), traumatic childhood experiences, child maltreatment or parental inadequacy [ 12 , 13 ]. According to Cunha et al., (2018) [ 6 ], psychopathy is conventionally conceptualised as a syndrome that remains throughout life and influences different aspects of individual functioning, including their interpersonal, emotional, and behavioural traits. In addition, studies have revealed that psychopathy is more often diagnosed among men (31%) compared to women [ 4 ]. Similarly, an incarcerated individual with higher PCL-R scores is more prone to commit violent criminal offenses upon being released from prison [ 3 ]. Cunha et al. (2018) [ 6 ] also stated that individuals with psychopathic personality traits are unable to form strong emotional bonds with others and struggle to control their temper.

A burgeoning line of research has consistently revealed that the prevalence of psychopathic traits is higher among prisoners compared to general populations [ 6 , 7 ]. Theorist and researchers have more recently contended that approximately 1% of the general population exhibit psychopathic tendency, whereas approximately 15–25% of the prison population display these characteristics [ 14 ]. As such, individuals with psychopathic traits begin their criminal activities at a young age and continue to engage in antisocial behaviour throughout their lives [ 15 ]. In addition, myriad research outputs from the psychiatry, criminology, neuroscience, and psychology fields of study have shown that psychopathic personality traits are associated with serious juvenile offenders and adult criminals since these individuals are unable to process cues of punishment and rewards [ 5 , 6 , 8 , 16 , 17 ]. Moreover, recent neurocognitive findings unveiled that abnormalities in the amygdala (connected regions of the orbitofrontal cortex) may result in impaired decision making and social functioning, resulting in higher possibilities of engagement in antisocial behaviour [ 16 ].

Accumulating evidence stipulates that there are significant differences between types of crime which are commonly committed by a psychopathic female and male [ 18 ]. Generally, psychopathic females tend to be less aggressive and rarely repeat their criminal acts compared to males [ 18 ]. In addition, in some cases, psychopathic females have a significant level of impulsivity, a trait often associated with borderline personality disorder [ 18 , 19 ]. Furthermore, research related to psychopathic and sexual coercion shows that compared to non-psychopathic individuals, psychopaths are more likely to become sexual offenders (subgroup of rapists) [ 14 ]. Similarly, DeLisi et al. (2018) [ 16 ] notes that a psychopathic individual also displays severe alcohol and drug use (includes trying a greater variety of drugs and starting to use drugs at earlier age) compared to non-psychopathic populations.

3.2. Low Self-Control

Research examining the underpinnings of crime suggests that low self-control has been consistently linked with involvement in criminal activities [ 20 ]. Empirical evidence indicates that low self-control is associated with involvement in delinquency, violence, and antisocial behaviour [ 21 ]. According to Boccio et al. (2016) [ 11 ] individuals with low self-control are more impulsive, self-centred, prone to risky behaviour, irresponsible, and display volatile temperament. In addition, Brown (2016) [ 2 ] stated that individuals with low self-control exhibit six common characteristics. Firstly, those with low self-control tend to be less meticulous, prefer simple tasks that would require little commitment, are short-sighted, and exhibit a lack of self-determination. Secondly, these individuals are easily drawn to the more daring and exciting behaviour/activities. Thirdly, those with lower self-control are impulsive and tend to seek instant gratification, inclined to seize opportunities without considering the dangers/consequences of such behaviours. Fourthly, individuals with low self-control prefer simple activities over concentration-oriented activities such as a long conversation. Fifthly, those with low self-control tend to be less concerned about other individuals’ feelings and have a low tolerance for frustration and conflicts.

Findings from a broad array of studies have revealed that low self-control is a quintessential predictor of various maladaptive behaviours such as involvement in substance abuse, theft, property offending, and robbery among diverse samples of participants including parolees, jail inmates, and institutionalised delinquents [ 2 , 21 ]. According to Forrest et al., (2019) [ 21 ], low self-control increases the probability of an individual engaging in criminal activities when presented with suitable opportunities (mainly because they are unable to ignore or anticipate the potential long-term consequences of their actions). Furthermore, a plethora of studies has agreed that individuals with poor self-control are more likely to engage in a wider range of criminal behaviour such as computer-related crimes, associating with gangs, and participating in antisocial behaviour [ 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ].

Based on the social control theory, Gottfredson and Hirschi argue that females exhibit lower offending frequencies since they are more subjected to stricter enforcement and parental supervision compared to males [ 21 ]. The “parented more” variation that exists as a product of parental influence causes females to have a greater ability to self-regulate their behaviour whereas the less effective parenting of male children results in lower levels of self-control, consequently leading to involvement in criminal activities among males [ 21 ]. Similarly, Forrest et al. (2019) [ 21 ] and Mata et al. (2018) [ 22 ] found that gender and type of household (more patriarchal vs. less patriarchal) also influence an individual’s level of self-control. For instance, Mata et al. (2018) [ 22 ] note that females growing up in a patriarchal household along with a high level of parental control are less likely to have criminal aspirations.

A handful of studies have clarified that individuals with low self-control are less concerned with the long-term consequences of their behaviour and are more likely to engage in activities that provide them with immediate gratification, such as shoplifting and fraud-related behaviours [ 17 , 20 , 24 , 25 ]. In addition to the negative implications, many studies have indicated that low self-control and a high level of impulsivity is strongly related to socially undesirable behaviour such as smoking and risky drinking [ 25 ]. Furthermore, DeLisi et al. (2018) [ 16 ] found that low self-control and low moral values escalate intentions to steal and/or fight among individuals who regularly smoke marijuana, occasionally crack cocaine, and drink nearly every day.

3.3. Difficult Temperament

Human development is a complex phenomenon involving the joint influence of socioecological conditions and individual dispositional characteristics. As such, one’s temperament is defined as an individual characteristic which comprises a habitual mode of emotional response to stimulus [ 17 , 26 ]. Foulds et al. (2017) [ 26 ] stated that the temperament has been traditionally viewed as an emotional and behavioural characteristic of feelings and presumed to be more biologically rooted by maturation and heredity. Prior research has found that children who throw tantrums will usually react negatively towards people around them, have a low level of bonding with their parents (poor parent–children interaction), and develop various forms of psychopathological problems including antisocial behaviour [ 29 ]. According to DeLisi et al., (2018) [ 16 ], one’s temperament reflects the baseline differences in the central nervous systems that particularly involve components such as (i) emotionality and mood; (ii) variance in activity level; (iii) withdrawal behaviours; and (iv) self-regulation. In addition, empirical evidence shows that individuals with difficult temperaments experience mood disorders, anxiety disorders, major depression disorders, disruptive behaviour disorders, and drug abuse [ 17 ]. Furthermore, Foulds et al. (2017) [ 26 ] stated that temperamental deficits also contribute to crime/violence occurrence among adolescents.

Based on the theoretical framework, temperament was divided into nine major dimensions, namely adaptability to the environment; physical activity; approach/withdrawal in response to novelty; regularity of the child’s behaviour (rhythmicity); task persistence; quality of mood in terms of positive/negative feelings; threshold of responsiveness to stimulation; distractibility; and intensity of the reaction [ 30 ]. According to Dos Santos et al. (2020) [ 29 ], individuals with a low regularity of behaviour (rhythmicity) are more aggressive and delinquent compared to individuals with highly regular behaviour. Furthermore, the result of a study conducted by Nigg (2017) [ 28 ] disclosed that girls who scored higher for “adaptability to the environment”; “quality of mood in terms of positive/negative feelings (negative emotional reactivity and low positive affectivity)”; and “approach/withdrawal in response to novelty” (based on the temperament framework) are highly at-risk of engaging in antisocial behaviour.

Substantial evidence has emerged of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) (including various forms of neglect and abuse) and temperament factors being significantly associated with conduct problems (relating to poor emotional self-regulation) [ 17 , 27 , 29 , 32 ]. The neurobiological model suggests that an early childhood adverse environment and stress regulating systems (autonomic nervous system and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis) increase susceptibility to severe antisocial behaviour, such as being associated with gang membership, gang delinquency, and gang activities [ 27 , 29 , 31 ]. Moreover, existing evidence has disclosed that difficult temperament, peer rejection, disciplinary problems, and antisocial peer selection upon school entry also contribute to gang membership among youths [ 32 ].

Researchers have argued that the home environment, socioeconomic status, and parenting style have a profound impact on child temperament [ 17 , 28 , 29 , 32 ]. For instance, Nigg (2017) [ 28 ] found that negative parenting practices (inconsistent discipline practice, harsh behaviour, and permissive parenting practice) contribute to behavioural disorders among children. Moreover, some researchers have also begun to acknowledge that parenting roles significantly influence children’s temperament [ 30 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 ]. Dos Santos et al. (2020) [ 31 ] stated that inconsistent discipline practice by parents and harsh behaviour may accelerate nonaggressive antisocial behaviour (e.g., stealing or frequent truancy) among school-aged adolescents [ 31 ]. Furthermore, Dos Santos et al. (2020) [ 29 ] also found that a child who constantly receives negative parental feedback for bold behaviour may experience low self-esteem and start to display uncooperative behaviour and incohesive functioning while growing up. In the same line of thought, a great deal of research has revealed that youth with difficult temperaments who grow up in socioeconomically disadvantaged households (marked by poverty, unemployment) and have been exposed to a toxic neighbourhood environment (easy access to criminal gangs, easy access to drugs or firearms) are greatly at-risk of engaging in delinquent behaviour and future criminality across urban and rural contexts [ 17 , 33 , 35 ].

4. Limitations and Direction for Future Research

This systematic review has several limitations. Firstly, information gathered regarding the link between individual personality traits and criminal behaviour was only obtained from the Sage, Web of Science, APA PsycNet, Wiley Online Library, and PubMed databases, and published from January 2016 to June 2021. Thus, there is a possibility that some research published by well-known leading scholars might have been excluded from this review process. Secondly, studies included in this review were limited to articles published in peer-reviewed journals alone without including other resources such as newspapers, letters to editors, or prison reports, thereby limiting the generalizability of the findings.

Despite the outlined limitations, future research should concentrate on other singular features of individual personality traits such as narcissism, impulsivity, attitude favouring aggression, and Machiavellianism which contribute to criminal behaviour in order to develop diversified treatment protocols based on personality traits. Additionally, future studies should also include mediator factors to allow the in-depth understanding of the process underlying the link between individual personality traits and criminal behaviour.

5. Conclusions

In sum, this review adds to the growing literature in the field of crime-related studies and improves our understanding regarding how personality traits escalate the risk of engaging in criminal activities. Substantial empirical research performed by Gatner et al., (2016) [ 7 ] and Nigel et al. (2018) [ 8 ] suggested that psychopathy is a robust predictor of criminal behaviour, mainly focusing on instrumental violence. Furthermore, many scholars agree that instrumental violence among psychopathic offenders is significantly determined by the affective traits of psychopathy. Additionally, the inputs obtained through systematic review show that the domain of low self-control predicts a varied range of criminal behaviour. Based on Gottfredson and Hirschi’s social control theory, low self-control contributes to the adoption of deviant values and leads to an individual engaging in various types of antisocial behaviour. Furthermore, a difficult temperament has also been suggested to be one of the key predictors of criminal behaviour, mainly due to the influence of socioecological conditions and individual dispositional characteristics such as sensation seeking, narcissism, Machiavellianism, and sociosexual orientation.

Although the aim of this study was rather academic, the conclusion reached from this finding clearly identifies some significant risk factors for engaging in criminal behaviour. Admittedly, not all individuals with at-risk personality traits are at high risk of becoming delinquents/adult offenders. Therefore, it is essential that the stakeholders and practitioners who work within the criminal justice system to diversify their methods of assessment to identify individuals who fall under the “early onset group”. Furthermore, a proper treatment regimen that matches the result of the rigorous assessment is equally important to promote preventative measures to reduce crime rates in the future.

Through this review, it is transparent that major personality traits such as psychopathy, low self-control, and a difficult temperament can be measured using various scales/inventory or secondary data. Thus, it is suggested that the interventions that aim to reduce the risk of criminality should begin during the early childhood stage since some of the existing evidence agrees that youths usually start engaging in criminal activities after reaching the age of 15 years old [ 34 , 35 , 36 ]. Moreover, the identification of personality traits regardless of gender is also crucial to initiate appropriate preventative strategies for vulnerable groups such as children, at-risk youths, and adolescents.

Author Contributions

Introduction, N.K.T. and F.I.; material and methods, M.R.K. and B.R.; psychopathic, N.K.T., F.I. and N.C.M.N.; low self-esteem, N.K.T., F.I.; difficult temperament, M.R.K. and B.R.; limitation, N.C.M.N.; conclusion, N.C.M.N.; writing—original draft preparation, N.K.T.; review and editing, F.I. and B.R., N.C.M.N.; funding acquisition, F.I. and M.R.K. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

The publication fee of this article was funded by the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan, Malaysia.

Institutional Review Board Statement

Not applicable.

Informed Consent Statement

Conflicts of interest.

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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Essay Examples on Antisocial Personality Disorder

Antisocial personality disorder essay topics.

As college students, choosing the right essay topic is crucial to the success of your assignment. It's an opportunity to showcase your creativity and explore your personal interests while demonstrating your understanding of the subject matter. This page aims to provide you with a range of essay topics related to Antisocial Personality Disorder, covering various essay types, and offering examples of and paragraphs to help you get started.

Essay Types and Topics

Argumentative essay.

• The impact of Antisocial Personality Disorder on society
• Treatment options for individuals with Antisocial Personality Disorder

Compare and Contrast Essay

• Comparing Antisocial Personality Disorder with other personality disorders
• Contrasting the portrayal of Antisocial Personality Disorder in different forms of media

Descriptive Essay

• Describing the behaviors and characteristics of individuals with Antisocial Personality Disorder
• Painting a picture of the impact of Antisocial Personality Disorder on families and relationships

Persuasive Essay

• Persuading for greater awareness and understanding of Antisocial Personality Disorder in society
• Making a case for increased research funding for Antisocial Personality Disorder treatment and support

Narrative Essay

• Sharing a personal experience with someone diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disorder
• Exploring the journey of a fictional character living with Antisocial Personality Disorder

Paragraph Examples

Argumentative Essay Topic: The impact of Antisocial Personality Disorder on society Antisocial Personality Disorder is a complex mental health condition that has far-reaching effects on individuals and society at large. In this essay, we will explore the significant impact of Antisocial Personality Disorder on various aspects of society, including... (explicit thesis statement).

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Each essay type offers unique learning outcomes. Argumentative essays develop your ability to construct a strong argument, while compare and contrast essays hone your analytical skills. Descriptive essays enhance your ability to paint a vivid picture with words, and persuasive essays strengthen your ability to influence others. Narrative essays allow you to explore storytelling and character development.

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Schizoaffective Disorder: The Bridge Between Schizophrenia and Bipolar

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Is this actually PTSD? Clinicians divided over redefining borderline personality disorder

Some have argued BPD should be reclassified as a trauma disorder, maintaining those diagnosed are typically women with abuse in their past

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When Prof Andrew Chanen was a trainee psychiatrist in 1993, patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) who had self-harmed were “vilified” and “treated appallingly”.

“There was this myth that somehow they were indestructible,” he says. Despite what his teachers told him, “most were dead by the end of my training”.

More than three decades later, Chanen is the chief of clinical practice and head of personality disorder research at Orygen, the National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health at the University of Melbourne, and he says BPD remains the most stigmatised and discriminated against mental health disorder in Australia and internationally.

Overwhelmingly diagnosed in women , BPD is characterised by difficulty managing emotions, rapid mood changes, self-harm often accompanied by suicidal thoughts, and an unstable self image.

Some Australian clinicians are calling for BPD to be recognised as a trauma disorder rather than a personality disorder, arguing this would lead to better treatment and outcomes.

The argument for rethinking BPD

American psychoanalyst Adolph Stern introduced the word “borderline” to psychiatric terminology in 1938, using it to describe a group of patients who fitted neither the neurotic nor the psychotic diagnostic categories.

Several studies have shown BPD is associated with child abuse and neglect more than any other personality disorders, but the rates can vary from as high as 90% to as low as 30% . An analysis of 97 studies found 71.1% of people who were diagnosed with the condition reported at least one traumatic childhood experience.

Dr Karen Williams, who runs New South Wales’s Ramsay Clinic Thirroul – Australia’s first women-only trauma hospital – believes BPD “is a gendered diagnosis that is given to women who have got histories of abuse, whereas when we see a man come back from a traumatic event, we [say] he’s got PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder]”.

“There is no symptom that a borderline personality disordered person has that a PTSD patient doesn’t also have.”

Williams says it often takes several sessions before she can uncover a patient’s abuse. The response of dissociation and forgetting trauma is very common, she says. Also, not all patients recognise their experiences as trauma.

Despite there being no clinical difference between PTSD and BPD, Williams says the clinical response varies markedly. PTSD, particularly among veterans, is treated with sympathy, while women with the diagnosis of BDP are considered “difficult”.

Williams prefers the term “complex post-traumatic stress disorder” to BPD, as does Prof Jayashri Kulkarni, the director of the Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre. Kulkarni says the BPD label implies the behaviour is part of a personality style. There’s an implied “stern moralistic approach” that these people should just be able to control themselves – and that attitude contributes to stigma.

But she says the more she has researched BPD, “the more obvious it seems the women and the men who have been labelled with this condition often have dreadful early life trauma”.

“I really think this is injustice, to say to somebody who’s gone through hell in their early life and onwards, that they’ve got a significant flaw of their inner core.”

The case for the term personality disorder

To Chanen, the term “personality disorder” is useful because it captures the identity and relationship difficulties he says are at the heart of the issue.

He points to a national study of childhood maltreatment published in 2023 which showed nearly two-thirds of the population experience some form of childhood adversity. Despite that, BPD is comparatively rare, occurring in only 1% to 3% of the population.

“There’s something important going on in each individual that interacts with the experience of adversity. While that interaction might give rise to borderline personality disorder, it might also give rise to another disorder, such as depression, or no mental disorder,” he says.

“That’s not to say that the adversity is unimportant, but it’s not inevitable that a person will develop a mental disorder, and certainly not inevitable that they will develop borderline personality disorder.”

Chanen believes any reductionist arguments about causes are “oversimplified, wrong and unfortunately harmful for people living with personality disorder”. He believes the debate around re-naming the disorder as complex PTSD is “not really supported by the science and weakens the moral argument for respect, dignity and equality of access to effective services”.

Chanen is concerned a name change may have the unintended consequence of invalidating the experiences of patients who have not experienced trauma, or prompt clinicians to assume that trauma is present without any evidence. Instead, he believes early intervention is key.

An associate professor at the University of Sydney, Loyola McLean, who identifies as a Yamatji woman, says of the divided opinions within her profession: “It could well be that we’re talking about two halves of the same whole.

“I think we’ve got to keep an open mind that this adverse experience may be contributing, triggering, and for some people will have a causal element,” says McLean, who is a consultation-liaison psychiatrist and psychotherapist.

“Trauma – in particular early trauma, because that’s where the body and brain are really developing – we know that it’s such a huge risk factor for downstream health problems across the spectrum of health problems.”

The physical and the psychological are deeply connected , she says, but “the whole of the western world is still suffering from a kind of a Cartesian divide”.

A shifting approach

The discussion about using BPD or complex post-traumatic stress disorder is about more than words – according to Kulkarni, it changes the whole direction and focus for treatment.

Historically, treatment for BPD has relied upon antidepressants to treat low mood and antipsychotics for paranoid thinking, but it has not addressed underlying cognitive symptoms such as difficulty managing emotions, a disturbed sense of identity, disturbed relationships and impulsivity.

Those symptoms tend to be treated with psychosocial approaches, such as dialectical behaviour therapy, mentalisation-based treatment and high quality care.

Kulkarni and Dr Eveline Mu at Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre are running clinical trials for new drugs to target the neurochemistry they believe drives the symptoms of BPD/complex post-traumatic stress disorder.

The effects of trauma on the body’s stress levels mean the glutamate system – the primary neurotransmitters of the nervous system – is in overdrive, Mu says. Her theory is that this drives cognitive dysfunction.

Since it began in 2022, 200 people have participated in the randomised controlled double blinded clinical trial of memantine, a drug that the regulator has approved for treatment of Alzheimer’s patients, and which blocks the body’s glutamate receptors.

Williams’ women’s-only trauma hospital is also examining new ways of responding to those with acute symptoms. She says the only place where acutely suicidal patients can go are mixed-gender rooms in hospital psychiatric wards , which have no locks and can lack supervision of male patients who are often psychotic, drunk and detoxing. Sexual assault is often rife in such wards.

It’s an environment that exacerbates symptoms, she says.

By contrast, the three-week program her patients undergo involves exercise, self-care, and education about healthy relationships.

“Almost all the time, they don’t just have trauma from their childhood, but they’ve still got it now,” Williams says. “We know that people who have been abused tend to end up in abusive relationships again, because they have such little self value and they don’t know that they deserve to be treated better.”

The hospital’s beds are constantly full with patients who can afford private treatment, with some even coming from interstate. Only one of the hospital’s 40 beds is publicly funded.

Williams says her program has improved the quality of life of her patients, with many able to take on full-time work or go back to study. “Many of them have said: ‘I want to be a nurse, I want to come back and work here.’”

Kulkarni says one of the other new solutions is to get rid of the label. “It’s hurting people … Taking a new look offers us new compassion and new understanding.”

This article was amended on 12 May 2024 to correct the year in which Prof Andrew Chanen was a trainee psychiatrist. It was 1993, not 1983.

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196 Psychology Argumentative Essay Topics & Ideas

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Psychology argumentative essay topics offer a rich range of subjects for writing papers, providing valid content to stimulate intellectual debate. These topics span from developmental psychology, exploring how nature and nurture shape human behavior, to the examination of the validity of various mental health diagnoses. In cognitive psychology, topics might argue about the influence of memory and perception on reality or investigate whether artificial intelligence can truly emulate human consciousness. Social psychology subjects can debate the impact of social media on mental health or dissect the cultural nuances of group behavior. Forensic psychology invites debates about the criminal mind, rehabilitation, and the ethics of profiling. These psychology-based argumentative essay topics provide a platform to critically analyze the current understanding of the human mind, societal influences, and the delicate balance between biology and experience.

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BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER

Borderline personality disorder is defined as a very severe mental disorder which is identified by a series of ongoing instability in behavior, functioning, moods and self image. Individuals with borderline personality disorder usually encounter severe episodes of anxiety, anger and depression that normally last for several days or hours. Such encounters usually lead to unstable relationships and uninhibited actions.  This disorder mostly focuses on the inability of individuals to effectively control their emotions. It normally commences in early adulthood or during adolescence. Borderline personality disorder exists in the relationship setting and at times only one relationship is affected and sometimes all kinds of relationships are usually affected. Most individuals with this disorder suffer from difficulties of controlling their thoughts and emotions and sometimes uninhibited behavior. Individuals also with this disorder are at a higher risk of suffering from substance abuse, anxiety disorders, personality disorders and also eating disorders (Gunderson, 2011).

Borderline personality disorder has been in existence and affecting individuals long before it was formally diagnosable in the year 1980 when it was recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders DSM-III. In 1993, dialectal behavior therapy was introduced by Marsha Linehan as an effective treatment. Further definition of Border personality disorder diagnosis was established in the published DSM-IV. The month of May was declared as the month of national borderline personality disorder awareness by the House of Representative in the United States in 2008. Research still continues with regards to the advancement in the field related to borderline personality disorder. 

Prevalence in the United States shows that borderline personality disorder affects an estimated 14 million people at some point in their lives. Approximately 20percent individuals admitted to psychiatric hospitals are also affected with this disorder. Scientists agree that environmental and genetic influences are involved as risk factors and causes of this disorder. The disorder is also likely to be caused by social factors like interaction of an individual with friends and family particularly during early development; genetic and biological factors; and also psychological factors which involve the personality of an individual designed by their surrounding and skills learned to be able to cope with stress. All these factors in their nature and complexity together are responsible for the disorder and not just a single factor. Individuals with this disorder can pass the disorder to children and therefore their children are at a high risk for the disorder. During childhood particular events may also be responsible for the development of this disorder like sexual, emotional and physical abuse. Bullying, neglect and loss also contribute to the development of the disorder in childhood. 

Borderline personality disorder has symptoms which include emotional instability, relationship instability, identity disturbance, feelings of emptiness, intense anger and also impulsivity symptoms. This disorder is primarily diagnosed by psychologists who are trained mental health professional as they are no blood or any other laboratory tests that are utilized in the diagnosis of this disorder. Borderline personality disorder diagnosis is done through comparison of the life history of an individual and the symptoms, and mental health professionals are responsible for conducting these comparisons to establish a determination on whether the symptoms presented meet the necessary criteria for diagnosing an individual with borderline personality disorder. More research is being conducted to determine more ways to ensure improvement in diagnosis of borderline personality disorder in the future ( Kings and Queens of Chaos , 2017).

Many individuals with this particular disorder do not consider seeking treatment until the disorder begins to essentially disrupt or influence the life of an individual. Historically borderline personality disorder has been considered as very complicated and challenging to treat. In recent times, proper and redefined methods of treatment for this disorder have been established with most individuals experiencing the disorder with less serious symptoms. It is essential that individuals with this disorder and their families to get adequate support especially during treatment because most influencing factors affect the period of time it takes for improvement of symptoms once treatment commences. Psychotherapy is considered as the most effective form of treatment for individuals with this disorder as it is known to alleviate related symptoms.  In the primary treatment of the disorder, it is not recommended to use medications however a mental health professional in some cases may recommend use of medication to ensure treatment of particular symptoms like depression and mood swings. Extra caution should be exercised by health care practitioners when prescribing medications due to high suicide risks among individuals with the disorder. In the event of an overdose in the prescribed medicine, the effects may be very fatal. More than one medical practitioner may be required in the treatment with medications. For different individuals with the disorder, particular medications can lead to various side effects (Winston, 2000).

Cackowski, S., Krause-Utz, A., Van Eijk, J., Klohr, K., Daffner, S., Sobanski, E., & Ende, G. 

         (2017). Anger and aggression in borderline personality disorder and attention deficit 

         hyperactivity disorder – does stress matter?. Borderline Personality Disorder And Emotion 

         Dysregulation , 4 (1).

Fonagy, P., Luyten, P., & Bateman, A. (2017). Treating Borderline Personality Disorder With 

        Psychotherapy. JAMA Psychiatry .

Gunderson, J. (2011). Borderline Personality Disorder. New England Journal Of Medicine ,                364 (21), 2037-2042. 

Kings and Queens of Chaos . (2017). Psychology Today . 

Winston, A. (2000). Recent developments in borderline personality disorder. Advances In     Psychiatric Treatment , 6 (3), 211-217. 

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Paranoid Personality Disorder Argumentative Essay Samples

Type of paper: Argumentative Essay

Topic: Psychology , Disorders , Disorder , Personality , Paranoid , Personality Disorder , Treatment , People

Words: 1500

Published: 05/23/2023

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Psychological disorder is a disorganization of the central nervous system work. A personality disorder is sustained template of standing and conduct that differs from templates that are regarded as normal by a human’s culture. Symptoms of any personality disorder stay the same in various situations and become apparent by early matureness. These symptoms induce anguish or make it hard for a person to act normally in public. (Claridge, 60) The aim of this paper is to research the paranoid personality disorder, its symptoms, environmental and biological causes and possible treatment methods, and finds out the prognosis and prospects of such treatment.

Symptoms of paranoid personality disorder

People with paranoid personality disorder have many common symptoms. A general mistrust and suspicion of other people, such that their reasons are explained as malicious, beginning by early matureness and represents in a diversity of contexts. Still, generally, people with PPD stay in touch with actuality; they don't have hallucinations as patients with insanity. Even so, their mistrust that others are going to harm or exploit them are so catchall and intensive that people with such disorder often become very secluded. At the same time, they believe too strongly in their own abilities and ideas. Consequently, such people have inflated self-esteem, there is rigidity of mind and a penchant for suspicion. They avoid normal interaction with society. Patients with paranoid personality disorder could become violent because they feel unsafe in such a threatening for them, as they think, world. Harmless comments, innocuous jokes and much other everyday communication are often taken as injuries. They importunately question a prompting and reliability of others, people with PPD are not prepossessed to share their thoughts. They have a dread of the possibility that such data could be used against them. Consequently, they become hostile and surly, disputatious or arrogant. Their annoyance often draws malevolent reactions from other people around them. These repulses become “argument” in the mind of a person with PDD that others are, indeed, enemy to them. They have little understanding of the effects of their position and conduct on their as a general rule unfortunate interactions with other people. The blame for such failed relationships with others, people with paranoid personality disorder impose on anyone apart from them, they do not see a direct involvement in this. Paranoid suspicions transfer into all spheres of life. People overburdened with PPD are frequently sure that their sexual partners are treacherous. Complimenting a person with paranoid personality disorder on, for example, hairstyle or car could be taken as a hint at their materialism or egoism. This state is very close to the accentuation and is closely intertwined with the concept of "borderline", but the main feature is the social exclusion.

So, the most common symptoms of paranoid personality disorder are:

General suspiciousness and mistrust of other people Questioning implicit motives of others Feelings of confidence, without justification or evidence, that others are going to harm or exploit them Social seclusion Aggressiveness and animosity Almost no sense of humor, vision of hidden subtexts, where they are not (Haycock, 1119) Biological and environmental causes No one knows for sure what causes paranoid personality disorder, but there are hints that family factors may in some cases affect the elaboration of the disorder. There seem to be more cases of paranoid personality disorder in families where there are one or more members, who suffer from such mental illnesses as schizophrenia or delusional disorder. Other potential interpersonal reasons have been suggested. For example, some therapists propose a thought that the behavior that is typical for people with PPD might be learned. They suggest that such conduct might be tracked back to childhood events and experiences. According to this point of view, children who are subjected to adult wrath and anger without possibility to predict the outbreaks and without a chance to escape or control them elaborate paranoid way of thinking in an attempt to manage with the stress. PPD might emerge when this way of thinking becomes a part of the person’s identity as adulthood treatment. (Haycock, 1118) So, even though significantly, nobody knows the cause of PPD, there are two versions. The first argues that the PPD has a genetic predisposition, the second - PPD can occur as a result of a difficult childhood and misunderstandings with parents. Very often it is distant, abusive father and excessive custodian, but rejecting the child, mother. As a result of the increased demands, the child produces an unfriendly and distrustful attitude to all others with the accumulation of negative feelings.

There are only two effective methods of treatment PPD. The problem of treatment of paranoid disorder is connected with human reluctance to admit that he/she is really sick. Such people tend to be confident that they have everything in order and they do not need treatment. (Triebwasser, 796) The main method of treatment of PPD is psychotherapy. There could be used psychoanalytic therapy, deep psychotherapy, behavioral therapy and other methods. Group therapy could not be used here, because patients mistrust almost everyone, even family members. Forming an alliance between the therapist and the patient is time consuming and fraught with serious difficulties due to suspicion and distrust of the patient, suffering from paranoid personality disorder. After establishing enough trust relationship, the therapist, depending on the chosen method, helps the patient to take the feelings, projected on others, or develop more effective patterns of behavior in complex situations. (Haycock, 1120) The other method of treatment is medication. It is not so effective, but it also could help. Because of the increased suspicion, patients with paranoid personality disorder negatively perceive prescription of drugs, do not take the prescribing drugs, or report the physician about the lack of efficacy of drug therapy. The drugs are usually given for short courses in the deteriorating mental state. Tranquilizers are used if there is an alarming agitation, if sleep disorders - sleeping pills, if delusional ideas - antipsychotics. The prognosis of paranoid personality disorder is relatively unfavorable. With age, compounded by rigid thinking, paranoid ideas become more pronounced, however, with adequate long-term therapy, there might be quite stable compensation. Treatment of this condition is a difficult and lengthy process. Correct and timely matched psychotherapy and pharmacological treatment, as well as new approaches to the treatment, such as art therapy, sports therapy, color-therapy, significantly improve the quality of life of the patient and help quickly and more efficiently carry out the traditional treatment. Summing up, suffice it to say that on examining of the peculiarities of this disease it is possible to assess on the prospects and the effectiveness of treatment, as well as the possibility of preventing the disease. In psychiatry and clinical psychology such personality disorder is considered as a form of mental illness, as a behavioral trend with substantial departing from the accepted social and cultural norms. Such a condition is accompanied by certain violations in the actions, thinking, feeling, affecting the image of the patient's life and brings considerable inconvenience to families and other people. The symptoms for all people, suffering from PPD, are the same. These are: general suspiciousness and mistrust of other people, questioning implicit motives of others, feelings of confidence, without justification or evidence, that others are going to harm or exploit them, social seclusion, aggressiveness and animosity, almost no sense of humor and vision of hidden subtexts, where they are not. Although no one knows for sure, there could be two main causes of paranoid personality disorder - problems in communication with parents in childhood and a genetic predisposition. The reasons for paranoid personality disorder depend on the individual peculiarities and the characteristics of a person, any condition can lead to this problem In any case, this disease cannot be prevented. Moreover, this illness is very hard to treat, because of peculiar symptoms of the patients. The process of treatment is long and could only reduce symptoms and improve relationships with others. Full recovery is unlikely, but still possible. For those, living close to the paranoid, it is important to tune in to the fact that they need a lot of patience. It is important to be patient, not to over-express emotions. The conversation with such a person should be usual, as well as with a healthy person. The tone of the conversation must always be calm and confident. But the most important thing - to visit a specialist, who can help develop a treatment strategy.

Reference List

Claridge, G., & Davis, C. (2003). Personality and psychological disorders. London: Arnold. Haycock, D. A. (2012). Paranoid Personality Disorder. In K. Key (Ed.), The Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Health (3rd ed., Vol. 2, pp. 1116-1121). Detroit: Gale. Triebwasser, J., Chemerinski, E., Roussos, P., & Siever, L. J. (2013). Paranoid personality disorder. Journal of Personality Disorders, 27(6), 795-805. doi:http://dx.doi.org/101521pedi201226055

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• Personality

5 Ways to Survive an Argument When Your Loved One Has BPD

The roller-coaster ride with a loved one's borderline personality disorder..

Posted August 31, 2019 | Reviewed by Gary Drevitch

A heated argument can happen in various contexts, from personal to professional. In this post, we focus on what to do when you are arguing with someone you love or are close to who suffers from borderline personality disorder (BPD). These principles can be applied to other contexts when you are with someone with BPD.

If it was a romantic relationship , their intensity, creativity , and deep capacity to love may be what attracted you to them in the first place. But because they are sensitive to threats or cues of abandonment, they can become emotionally erratic and volatile in a relationship.

If your family member shows BPD symptoms such as fear of abandonment, impulsive and self-destructive behaviours, self-harming, and extreme mood swings, you may be left in a position in which you feel dragged into storm after storm, only to be left powerless and frustrated.

Being with someone who has BPD feels as though you are constantly on an emotional roller-coaster. However, it doesn’t mean the relationship is hopeless. Below are some reminders that might help when you are trapped in a heated argument with someone with BPD.

Genuinely try to listen

People with BPD are exceptionally sensitive, especially to signs of rejection or abandonment. To understand more why this is, it might be helpful to read a bit about object permanence and the fear of abandonment . They are also highly perceptive; if you simply nod your head saying yes to whatever they say without listening, they will sense that you are not paying attention .

They are sensitive to being dismissed or not heard because that was all they had as a child. You don’t always need to have the answer, but if your intention is genuine, they can sense it, and it will help them calm down.

Validate their feelings, not their behaviours

You don’t have to endorse what they are saying or doing, you don’t have to agree with anything, but what you could do is validate their feelings. There are no right or wrong feelings; there are no logical or illogical feelings. If they feel angry or upset about something, even if it doesn’t make sense to you, it makes sense to them. You could validate their emotions.

You can say things like 'I can understand you feel ___' (even if it were you, you wouldn’t feel the same), or 'I can hear you say you feel ____.' That way, you do not have to compromise your integrity. You are not lying or bending your values. You are simply telling them that you hear what they feel, and that their feelings are valid.

See their inner child

People with BPD are survivors of deep trauma . When arguing with someone with BPD, remember that you are not dealing with an adult, but a hurting child.

When someone with BPD is triggered, they regress into the state of a traumatised child. If you look at their body language , the intonations, etc, you will realise this. If you think of it that way, things they say or do will make sense. They may kick and scream and say 'I hate you,' like a 5-year-old who doesn’t know what else to say or do.

It might be hard to be the bigger person if you feel you have been treated unfairly, but try to see the wounded inner child in them. They are crying inside when they are screaming at you. The amount of relational fear they have is as paramount as that of an orphan. I hope this approach would help you to summon as much compassion as possible.

See if you can bypass the 'content' of what they say, and look at the unmet needs they are expressing. These needs might be legitimate, or they might be brought over from the past.

Set kind but firm boundaries

Being compassionate and seeing their inner child does not mean you have to bend over or be the one who bears the weight of the relationship. It simply means you balance healthy boundaries with as much empathy you can. Just like with a child, you can be loving but firm at the same time.

Setting boundaries with reasons might not be possible in the heat of the moment. When you are in the argument, you might just have to be firm and affirm your bottom line. Try not to walk away, as that is likely going to trigger more abandonment fears and reactions, but be firm and solid with your position.

For instance, you may say 'I can understand you feel ____. I will do ____ for you, but I will not tolerate ____.'

Be clear with the consequences in a non-punitive way: 'I don’t want to, but if you continue to ____, I will have to _____.' You will have to execute what you say. You may have to repeat yourself like a broken record.

When they are calm and collected at a later time, when they are in their adult mode, you can have a logical conversation with them. Together, you can come up with a plan — identify their triggers, and what you can do or not do to not make it worse. Both your needs and theirs could be honoured.

Honour yourself

Remember, you are not their saviour. The more you blame yourself for not being able to rescue the situation or help them, the less healthy the relationship would be as a whole. You cannot go back and change the past, and you cannot erase their trauma. Be warm and compassionate, but inside your heart, release them to be responsible for their own growth.

You can be their rock, their support, but ultimately they are in charge of their life. Please don’t believe that people with BPD 'can never get better.' They absolutely can. They are not monsters, even if they can be challenging to be with. In fact, people with BPD are highly empathic , sensitive, and compassionate, and have a lot to offer the world. The road to recovery may be long and hard, but it will be worth it.

You are not forced to stay, but if you decide to walk this journey together, your love and commitment can be a powerful healing tool for them.

Imi Lo Imi Lo works with highly sensitive and emotionally intense people. She has two masters, one in mental health and one in Buddhist studies. Her books include Emotional Sensitivity and Intensity, and The Gift of Intensity.

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At any moment, someone’s aggravating behavior or our own bad luck can set us off on an emotional spiral that threatens to derail our entire day. Here’s how we can face our triggers with less reactivity so that we can get on with our lives.

• Emotional Intelligence
• Gaslighting
• Affective Forecasting
• Neuroscience

388 Hot Psychology Essay Topics for 2024 & Writing Tips

Make yourself comfortable. We are now entering a free unique ideas zone.

Jokes aside, in 2024, nearly every other person took a psychology course. Today, in the New Ethics era, it is necessary to know the fundamentals of psychology, right?

We are not going to teach you psychology. Instead, in this article, you will find a compilation of the greatest topics that can be used in various ways.

First, the list is for those who seek psychology essay topics to write about. We offer a vast range of topics on psychology subdisciplines; you can use them right away or as inspiration.

Second, it might seem unobvious, but those who have no clue about psychology can use our text to familiarize themselves with the discipline’s subfields . Read our topics attentively, and maybe you will find the sphere of life.

In the end, you can find tips on writing a good psychology essay and excellent psychology speech topics.

Let’s not waste a minute. We are starting right now 🏁

• 📍 Definition
• 2️⃣0️⃣ Top 20 Topics
• 🧠 Topics by Subfields
• 💡 More Essay Topics
• 🧨 Writing Tips
• 🗣️ Speech Topics

📍 Essay on Psychology. Definition

A psychology essay is a primary type of research that does not require you to develop new practical solutions to existing issues. Therefore, it is all purely theoretical. If you are curious to explore the characteristics of a psychology essay, read the list below attentively.

• An essay is mainly about expanding knowledge , not finding solutions.
• There is no need to take active steps since this type of research is theoretical and analytical.
• Experts usually use scientific methods to collect and analyze data when it is required.

• During this research, some scientific methods preserve objectivity, which is essential for adding to the scientific knowledge base.
• There may be challenges because making predictions and assumptions in psychology is difficult due to individual differences.

2️⃣0️⃣ Top 20 Psychology Argumentative Topics

Here are examples of psychology essay questions that might help you get an idea of what area you would like to work on:

• Can a sleeping schedule influence your ability to associate memories with emotions?
• A case study of brain processes: how does the brain deal with sign language?
• How to explain the compulsive use of social media and the Internet by teenagers?
• What is the most popular legal psychoactive substance?
• How can one bad experience with a dish make people refuse to try it ever again?
• What are the positive effects of a low-meats diet on thinking skills in later life?
• Should mothers with depression choose touch patterns with their babies, such as breastfeeding?
• How does the synchronization of brain hemispheres affect the way we hear?
• The main reasons why economic growth in developing countries does not boost citizens’ happiness.
• Why doesn’t secure and happy childhood guarantee good mental health?
• How do social interactions help individuals with food or tobacco addictions handle their cravings?
• How is brain activity different when we use simple and complex grammar?
• Is trauma-focused psychotherapy the best approach to treating patients with PTSD?
• Why do we value friendship the most only when we know it may be highly needed or useful?
• What causes procrastination, and can meditation techniques help get rid of that harmful habit?
• What is the male bias regarding autism spectrum disorder?
• Can behavior be passed through generations?
• What is the role of fear and tension in childbirth?
• Why do we experience twitches in various body parts while sleeping ?
• The adverse effects of arguments and disagreement on the individual’s mental well-being.

🧠 Behavioral Psychology Argumentative Essay Topics

Behavioral psychology studies focus on the connection between our minds and behavior. The specialists in this area are trying to figure out what causes us to act in specific ways. Moreover, they keep discovering behavior patterns that may help predict how humans will behave. This way, there are more chances for us to build better social communities.

• Which typical human traits can also be found in socially active animals?
• The Cognitive Behavioral Family Therapy Concept .
• How do family relationships affect behavior patterns in kids in various human development stages?
• The Role of Mental and Physical Health in Eating Disorders.
• The art of love: are there any typical mating activities that humans exhibit when they try to win their love interests?
• Behavior Influence on Attitudes in Social Psychology .
• How do marketing companies use human behavior patterns for their benefit , and do we know about it?
• The secrets of cults: how do they involve people, and how do their minds work inside the organization?
• Hormones and Behavior Interaction.
• How does being in large groups of people affect our behavior?
• The process of our reaction to danger: can we choose to ignore the escape or fight instinct?
• Cognitive Dissonance Effects on Attitudes and Behavior .
• The elements of nonverbal communication can be understood in various countries around the world. How do these mechanisms work?

• What causes culture clash, and how do people of mixed cultures behave in the new social environment?
• Functional Behavior Assessment and Intervention Plan .
• What is the correlation between the individual’s behavior patterns and self-esteem?
• Religion and psychology: how do our religious beliefs dictate our behavior?
• The Use of Behavioral Therapy .
• What are the most common signs of depression that can help you recognize it immediately?

Clinical Psychology Essay Topics

Clinical Psychology is related to all mental illnesses and abnormalities. It is a beneficial study for people who suffer from mental health issues, especially if they are chronic or severe. This field of psychology is quite challenging but extremely rewarding.

• Clinical Psychology: History and Nature .
• Childhood trauma: the most effective therapies for helping children with behavioral disorders.
• Intelligence Testing in Clinical Psychology .
• Drug abuse: how does it affect other family members , and how can they participate in the treatment?
• What are the long-lasting effects of childhood trauma, and how late in life can they show up?
• The Mozart Effect Debate and Clinical Psychology .
• The health risks of clinical depression and the preventative measures that can be used.
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder vs. Attention Deficit Disorder.
• Depression Screening Tool in Acute Setting.
• What are the impacts of the individual’s anxiety disorders on their daily and social life?
• Media violence appearing in TV and video games and its influence on kids.
• Moderate Depression Symptoms and Treatment .
• Pros and cons of using online therapy from the client’s point of view.
• Bipolar Disorder’s Causes and Treatment.
• Major Depressive Disorder in a Child.
• What issues can social pressure from peers cause in adolescent mental health?
• The particular concerns for aging patients with the mental disorder of your choice.
• Postpartum Depression Educational Program Results.
• Websites promoting eating disorders and the ways people can overcome their influence.
• How do approaches in diagnosis and treatment differ for the two chosen disorders?
• Narcolepsy: Description and Treatment Options.
• How are different types of therapy developed and their effectiveness checked?
• The impact of social media addiction on people’s behavior.
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in War Veterans.

Cognitive Psychology Essay Topics

Cognitive psychology is about studying human cognition and how it is correlated with learning and behavior. Therefore, anything that has to deal with information processing, memory, attention, or perception falls under cognitive psychology research. In case it all sounds interesting, you are welcome to check out the following topics in this area.

• Are positive emotions a result of happiness, or do they contribute to this state?
• Cognitive Theory: History, Strength, and Weaknesses .
• How can we be sure that some long-term memories are real and not created by our imagination?
• Business and psychology: what learning strategies and processes prevail in successful entrepreneurs?
• What Is the Role of Language in Cognitive Psychology?
• Cognitive psychology: is the process of maintaining a habit stronger than the one that creates it?
• What is the role of visual stimulation and smells in the process of positive memory creation?
• Cognitive Behavioral Counseling.
• Cognitive psychology and the digital age: the changes of children’s attention spans.

• Human Cognitive Development .
• The differences between the genders in the perception of death and anxieties related to it.
• Psychology of conspiracy theories: what are the main differences between the cases occurring nationwide and in individuals?
• Current Experiment of False Memory .
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Electronic Education.
• What are the mechanisms behind selective attention behavior in kids and adults?
• Is there something that stops us from achieving goals physically after emotional motivation is gained?
• Improving Your Short-Term Memory .
• Being mature adults from the perspective of cognitive psychology: why do some of us stay kids forever?
• The Relationship between Age and Second Language Acquisition.
• The differences between children and adults using arguments in a discussion.
• What is the process of cognitive shifting , and what is the psychology behind it?
• The Application of Trans-Cranial Magnetic Stimulation to Improve Memory.

Educational Psychology Essay Topics

The educational psychology branch specializes in the factors that affect learning. Therefore, professionals in this field are particularly interested in how people gain new information and why academic achievement differs for everyone. Writing an essay on one of the following psychology essay questions may be especially useful for high school and college students who want to know more about effective and efficient learning skills!

• What makes a meaningful message from a mentor helpful and easy to remember?
• Stress as the Main Cause of Students’ Academic Failure .
• The most effective methods of support for students with autism spectrum disorder implemented in schools.
• The critical aspects of academic success in exchange students coming from different countries.
• How do harsh parenting and the absence of discipline at home affect school students’ performance?
• Self-Efficacy and Self-Concept of Students in the Process of Acquiring Skills and Knowledge.
• Different learning methods and capabilities of college students with the same academic achievements.
• Practical learning approaches: should students learn by heart or build concepts while perceiving new information?
• Effects of Sleep on Academic Performance .
• How do various forms of bullying influence the academic achievements of high school students?
• Educational psychology and sports: what is the role of educational psychology in training school athletes?
• Importance of Motor Learning for Human Development .
• Personal attributes in the class: how does attention-seeking behavior impact a child’s performance in the group?
• Educational psychology : the correlation between the parents and child’s perceptions of homework.
• The feeling of boredom and burnout at the workplace of choice: the main reasons.
• Adult Learning and Cognitive Field Theories in Nursing.
• Should all school teachers be assessed by their students , and what would be the effects?
• Do special workshops for anxiety and stress management help medical staff and lawyers?

Personality Psychology Argumentative Essay Topics

Personality is a fascinating topic in psychology. Specialists are interested in studying the individual’s way of thinking, typical acting, and feelings. Since personality is a pretty stable thing and usually does not change much with time, all the research in this area allows professionals to predict social behavior.

• Self-Concept Development and Personality Evolution .
• Is it true that people tend to pick their pets based on their personalities?
• What is the correlation between personality type and the kind of preferred art?
• The theory of Type A and Type B personalities : who is more successful?
• The influence of personality type on the use of social media: extroverts vs. Facebook.
• Personality Theory: Humanistic and Dispositional Methods .
• Personality types in school: does lack of conscientiousness affect cheating rates?
• Stress as a Psychological Factor of Physical Health.
• Low and high self-esteem individuals: who is likely to be more competitive?
• Certain personality traits that people who go into sports tend to develop.
• Do people with the same personality types share their tastes in music, and why?
• Birth order and personality of children : are firstborns more responsible than their younger siblings?
• Dissociative Identity Disorder, Etiology, and Theories .
• Marriage and personality psychology: do couples with similar personality traits tend to stay together longer?
• What are the different personality assessment approaches, and what are the differences?
• Prosocial behaviors and personality psychology: traits that are considered related to being selfless and heroic.
• Managing Patients with Personality Disorders.
• Different types of temperaments and their correlation with exhibiting creativeness.

Social Psychology Essay Topics

Social Psychology is the field of study that looks into people’s behavior within the social context. Therefore, it allows seeing how others influence our thoughts, beliefs, and feelings. There are many critical social issues in this area, and they cover stereotypes, discrimination, attribution theory, and others.

• What is a halo effect , and what traits do we tend to assign to physically attractive people?
• Social Psychology Theories: The Most Important and Useful Theories .
• Social psychology and workplace: how does a halo effect influence our judgment during the hiring process?
• Stereotypes about Physical Appearance – Gender Studies .
• How does the way we dress affect the way people respond to us?
• The changes in the attitude to the office workers wearing more casual outfits.
• Sexual Minorities, Social Acceptance, and Mental Health.
• Connecting with others online: does social networking help us spend more time with others in real life?
• What is the correlation between the time spent online and time spent interacting in real life ?
• The typical reaction of people who witness social norms being violated in your country.
• Prejudice and Discrimination: Types and Causes .
• Social psychology and marketing: what types of advertisements are the most effective nowadays?
• Dependent Personality Disorder; Symptoms and Treatment.
• What types of cognitive and persuasive techniques are typically applied in commercials?
• Gender Inequality and Stereotypes in the Society .

• The factors that affect people’s ability to judge the facts and detect lies.
• Forming Attitudes and Implicit Personal Biases Issues .
• When nonverbal signals do not match verbal behavior, how do people react?
• Intercultural Assumptions, Prejudices, and Viewpoints.
• What are implicit attitudes , and why do they matter for our social behavior?
• The surprising things about social behavior show that it is not as simple as we expected.
• Cultural and Traditional Values’ Importance in Society .
• How do social psychologists use neuroscience techniques to study stereotypes?
• Application of social psychology in the study of conformity within behavioral finance research.

Cultural Psychology Essay Topics

Cultural psychology is all about how cultural practices and meanings affect us as humans. This study involves many specialists from other fields, such as linguists, anthropologists, and even philosophers. The main difference between cultural psychology and other branches is that the theories developed within it are considered very variable depending on the culture.

• Family, Cultural Legacies and Identity Formation .
• What are the relationships of cultural psychology with other subfields, and how are they different?
• How are certain emotions interpreted differently in the chosen cultures from around the world?
• Do start-ups and new businesses in big cities use cultural differences for their benefit?
• Hispanic Population: Culturally Competent Care Delivery
• How do specific local verbal and nonverbal insults spread and become internationally recognized ?
• Can you use the same persuasion methods in different cultures, and why do they work or fail?
• Gender Inequality: Cultural or Psychological Issue?
• Why do some social media vary in popularity in different cultures, and what does it say about people’s personalities?
• Socio-Cultural Contributions to Gender Roles .
• What are collectivistic cultures , and how interdependent are people living in them?
• Emotional disorders associated with cultural disintegration and the most common symptoms to notice.
• Refugees and Socio-Cultural Barriers in Health Care.
• How do cultural elements such as typical family traditions affect children from the early stages of development?

• Ethnocentrism and cultural biases as common yet harmful to mental health occurrences in countries with multiple ethnic minorities.
• How do specific institutional structures in multicultural counties help people adapt faster and avoid cultural shock?
• Intercultural Relationship and Communication.
• Distinct cultural factors included in treating culture-bound disorders in a particular ethnocultural group.
• Food Anthropology as the Study of Food in Diverse Cultures .

💡 More Amazing Psychology Essay Topics

Cross-cultural psychology essay questions.

Cross-cultural psychology is quite similar to the cultural sub-field. However, there are some differences. Instead of focusing on one culture at a time, the cross-cultural study juxtaposes and analyses the behaviors of people who grew up in distinct cultures. At the same time, it may be hard to distinguish them since this definition fits both areas.

• How can the study of cross-cultural psychology help people around the world to solve universal education challenges?
• Cross-cultural Differences and Interactions; Overview Essay.
• Why are cultural patterns such as individualism and collectivism the focus of psychology now?
• The applications of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions in optimizing the work of multicultural corporations.
• Cross-Cultural Communication and Barriers .
• Counseling and cross-cultural psychology: why is it vital for counselors to have multicultural competence?
• What are the main issues of the five-factor model of personality , and is it a universal structure?
• Cross-Cultural Psychology: Definition and Elements .

• The crucial differences between treating negative emotions in American and Asian cultures.
• Multicultural Competence and Cultural Identity.
• Subjective well-being and cross-cultural psychology: how do people evaluate their life satisfaction in different countries?
• Conflict management from a cross-cultural psychology perspective: why can the Japanese be considered the most skilled in resolving group conflicts?
• The importance of gender roles across cultures and how do cultures shape the behavior of males and females?
• What Are the Effects of Cross-Culture Communication in the Context of Chinese Culture?
• Cultural environment as one of the main factors affecting child development in countries with active war zones.
• Emerging Issues in Multicultural Psychology .
• Cultural priming approach as the way to look into self-concept in bi-culture.

Media Psychology Topics

As more and more new technologies appear, the need to understand how we interact with them is also rising. It seems to be the main focus of media psychology . Even though this branch is relatively new, its relevance is on the top since most of the world’s population has contact with media and technology.

• How is the study of media psychology used in creating engaging and compelling content?
• Issues of Portraying Women in Advertisements and Media as Weak and Fragile.
• The influence of various media on the development of interpersonal conflicts within social groups.
• Media Psychology and marketing : how are some psychology approaches used to create a compelling brand story?
• Why is it so essential to create the correct content on the right platform for a target audience?
• Positive and Negative Effects of the Internet and Social Media Technology Use on the Family.
• The phenomenon of emotional contagion showing in regular Instagram users and its effects on subjective well-being.
• How serious is the issue of self-objectification among the youth and its relation to posting selfies?
• The Representation of African Americans in Modern Media.
• Media psychology and addictions: the influence of social media usage on alcohol consumption in adolescents.
• The feelings of being rejected and ignored aggravated by a decrease in popularity on social media.
• Media psychology: what tricks do food advertising campaigns use to trigger people to buy more and overeat?
• What Is the Impact of Media Violence on the Social Behavior?
• Promoting self-expression: what are the effects of the excessive spread of personalization on mental health?
• Do media promote multi-tasking, and how does it influence our lives from psychology perspective?
• Social Media Effect on Identity Construction .

Social Media Psychology Essay Topics

There is another subfield of psychology that deals with media, but this one is narrowed down to the influence of social networks on people. The development of new technology and social media has brought us broad opportunities to learn and connect with each other. However, there is also the other side of the coin, which disturbs psychologists quite a lot.

• What makes a person write a post on social media but delete it before even publishing it?
• How Does the Level of Students’ Concentration Correlate with Active Social Media Use?
• Contagious behavior and social media psychology: do emotions published online spread the same way as offline?
• How long does it take for a stranger to draw conclusions about you from your profile picture?
• Social Media Usage and Impact on Society
• The correlation between personality type and particular posting in social media.
• How does sharing something on social media make us feel more worthy and connected?
• How Does Social Media Use in the Corporate Space Affect the Relationship between Job Seekers, Employees, and Organizations Alike?
• Why does content that triggers strong emotions tend to be shared more often?
• Addiction to talking about ourselves leads to posting most of the content related to our direct experiences.
• What is the correlation between the age of users and the average time spent on social media per day?
• Abuse or opportunities: how are social media related to people’s reward systems from the point of view of psychology?
• Violence in Social Media and Its Impact on Society .
• What are the adverse effects of online social exclusion on the development of children and teens?
• What Are the Positive Aspects of Teenage Use of Social Media?
• Do people consider their physical and mental security when sharing content on social media?
• Do children from the younger generations feel like their identities are being shattered by social media usage?
• Social Media Addiction and Self-Esteem .
• Is the fear of missing out one of the symptoms of social media addiction?

Sports Psychology Essay Topics

If other branches study how our environment influences our feelings and emotions, sports psychology mainly focuses on the opposite. Specialists learn how psychological aspects might affect athletes’ performance. Even though some of them are interested in showing how sports can improve our well-being, professional psychological help for athletes is getting more and more in demand.

• Achievement Motivation Theory in Sports Psychology .
• Does the approach of persuading oneself to succeed work for team sports players?
• Sports Psychologist: Working With Athletes .
• Giving an additional option that allows the athletes to quit is a way to help them work harder.
• Sports Team Participation and Academic Performance of Students.
• Sport psychology in the field: what are the different coaches’ methods of motivating athletes ?
• The psychology of successful athletes : why is being mentally tough so important?
• How does aging influence the mental state of professional athletes, and what might help them?
• Does Participation in Youth Sports Play a Role in Character Formation?
• Why do some athletes forget about the importance of balance in sports, and what does it cost them?
• Using the help of Steve Jobs’ most famous quotes in motivating athletes.

• Why do accomplished athletes not plan ahead, and how do they still achieve their goals?
• Teaching and Coaching Techniques Used by Coaches for Effective Athlete Behavior Management.
• Addiction in sports psychology: how to tell that you are addicted to exercise and recover?
• The difference between elite athletes and the rest from the perspective of sports psychology.
• Sport Psychology: Biases and Influence of External Rewards .

Funny Psychology Argumentative Essay Topics

In case you do not intend to write a thesis in psychology, you might as well have some fun. Some topics for your psychology argumentative essay don’t make any sense but are still worth researching!

• Why does it seem like food tastes better when someone else cooks it ?
• Are there any legit psychological reasons why people want to squeeze anything cute?
• Optimism in Building a Romantic Relationship .
• Familiar smells and depression: the scent of your grandmother’s house and cooking as the way to treat a bad mood.
• What do the differences between book-carrying styles in men and women reveal?
• Laughter and Humor in Therapeutic Application.
• The list of reasons why our brains make us lazy which are supported by psychology.
• Our brains are not programmed to believe that long-term goals are important as the reason why we fail.
• Why Hollywood Still Has a Great Cultural Influence ?
• The theory of contagiousness of yawns and the ways it helps people connect and bond.
• Why do we care more about the problems of an individual than about mass tragedies?
• Do Chimpanzees Really Have a Culture?
• How do we hold hands : what is the psychology behind men having the uppermost hand while holding hands with their partner?
• Memory and psychology: why do we remember the intro and the end of the speech but not the central part?
• Human and Animal Language .
• The effect of believing you are excellent at multi-tasking while your brain says the opposite.
• What is the optimism bias , and why do we keep believing that the future is bright?
• Service Dogs and Emotional Support.

🧨 Tips for Writing a Good Psychology Essay

Let’s now take a little pause and look at some essential advice we want to give you about psychology essay topics.

It is not that hard to write an impressive essay on a psychology topic if you know our tips and tricks . Even though the rules for academic writing are generally the same, this type requires additional attention to some aspects.

Here is what you need to know to get the most effective results:

Narrow down the topic. Never pick a too general topic; most likely, it won’t be as relevant and exciting as the narrowed one.

• Zimbardo’s Stanford prison experiment
• How has the Stanford experiment changed the understanding of human behavior when it is under situational pressure?

Follow the structure. If you want to be coherent and sensible, follow the standard sequence of the essay structure. There should always be an introduction, main body, and conclusion .

Know your topic. Including a list of well-known and reliable sources can help you look more knowledgeable and respectable writer. Besides, it is a great chance to find and study even more information on the chosen psychology topic.

Double-check the facts. Even if it seems like a simple and well-known truth, every argument you make needs to be supported by relevant evidence from the literature of other reliable sources.

Authoritative sources:

• Publicly accessible databases and documents
• Recognized professional publications and experts of the field
• Peer-reviewed publications and journals

Be specific . Try not to write generalized sentences and paragraphs. Going off the topic might cause the readers to lose interest and even your track of thought.

Pay attention to the quality of your writing. Proofreading and checking your grammar should be a significant step in your writing process.

Be mindful of the context. Some psychological aspects might be universal, but not all. It is always better to consider all the cultural, economic, and even superficial biological differences between people.

🗣️ Psychology Speech Topics

Psychology persuasive speech topics.

In general, while working on your persuasive speech, you need to remember a few things. First of all, it should sound trustworthy, so don’t forget to include reliable references. Then, it is good to use hook sentences to keep your audience in contact with your speech. And last but not least, just turn on your natural charisma. Your main goal is to make people agree with your opinion on some psychology topic!

• The way our thoughts have a direct influence on our body by creating specific reactions in the cells.
• Marketing used by IKEA and psychology: objects created or put together by ourselves as more valuable.
• Physician-Assisted Suicide: Patient’s Right or Hippocratic Oath Violation?
• The tendency to choose beach vacations when we need rest is the result of a psychological trigger.
• What are the main reasons behind the spread of the hikikomori phenomenon in Japan?
• Euthanasia Should Be Illegal Because of Its Harm.
• A new reflex or mental disorder: why do we keep hearing our phones buzzing when they are not?
• Depression treatment: therapy or medications, pros and cons of each method.
• Juveniles Should Not Be Tried As Adults .
• Media giants and psychology: how do social media use tricks to play our minds into keep using their network?
• Why do we need to pay more attention to our mental health as the average levels of anxiety increase?
• What Obligation Do We Have to Improve Ourselves?
• Psychology of well-being: can people be trained to become more optimistic?
• Long-term social isolation and its direct effects on our health.
• Why should marijuana be legalized?
• Teaching the basics of self-care in schools is the way to improve mental health in later life.
• Hypnosis: Fake or Real?
• Why is our brain the least helpful tool in judging fake facts on social media?
• Implementing mandatory counseling as the way to deal with drug abuse in colleges.
• Should People Have a Right to Own a Gun?
• How can the excessive use of social media lead to eating disorders in adolescents ?
• What is the psychology behind becoming a successful entrepreneur?
• Parental Divorce Has Negative Effects on Children .

Psychology Informative Speech Topics

While preparing for an informative speech topic, you don’t have a goal to persuade anyone. Your main aim should be just to deliver information and leave all the opinions behind. At the same time, it is still essential to use reliable sources while preparing for an informative psychology speech if you want to stay a respectable professional in your field.

• Is there a need to reevaluate the standard of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs ?

• What are the reasons for people to believe that adolescence is the most challenging stage of development?
• Bipolar Disorder Overview and Analysis .
• The way short-term and long-term memory works and how can our brains hijack it sometimes.?
• Anxiety Disorders, Their Definition, and Treatment.
• The most potent external stimuli can cause temporary shifts in our usual behavior patterns.
• What is the importance of emotional intelligence , and why is it more valuable than other skills?
• Human and Ethics Relations Analysis.
• The most effective persuasion techniques successful speakers tend to use.
• How does meditation work, and what are the most powerful tools it uses for relaxation?
• Substance Abuse Problem Overview.
• Mental Health Services in the United States.
• Why do eliminating biological and environmental factors fail to treat severe depression?
• What Are the Major Issues in Interracial Adoption?
• Teaching intercultural non-verbal communication in schools is a way to prevent the appearance of cultural biases.
• Modern Theories of Motivation in Psychology.
• Why is the fear of public humiliation stronger than the fear of death for most of the population?
• Is it true that violence appearing in video games has a negative influence on child development?
• Storming Stage of Psychotherapeutic Group Development.
• Psychology of subjective well-being: does making more money help people feel happier?
• Why are the wealthiest and most successful people so interested in charity and donations?
• Case Study Analysis: Individual Psychology .
• The most effective methods to treat childhood trauma used by counselors in schools.
• What type of change should people make in their lives to keep progressing as personalities?

Weird Persuasive Speech Topics about Psychology

You might think that you have seen all of it. However, you are mistaken! Some really weird psychology essay questions are hard to justify. Most of them are just theories, of course, and you might try your luck and find reasonable arguments to support them.

• Is there any correlation between negative thoughts and the growth of facial hair ?
• Detecting which eye drops the tear first is how you check if the person is happy or upset.
• Are Art, Music, and Dance More Effective in Therapeutic Treatment ?
• The length of your tongue and the ability to lick your elbow as the way to determine your sexual preferences .
• Putting a question mark at the end of your daily affirmations will make them more motivational.
• Divorce and Remarriage: Why Is It Important ?
• Why do governments make us commit more crimes when they implement stricter laws and policies?
• Why would people rather look forward to something terrible happening than not know what to expect?
• Wasting Time With Strangers Online: For What Purpose and for Whose Benefit?
• Baby fever is a phenomenon related to the scarcity sensitivity of our brains.
• Why do people try to look for human faces on the wallpapers while sitting in the toilet?
• Why Reality Shows Are So Popular ?
• Intuition or brain stimulation: the feeling of being right despite the lack of solid proof and evidence.
• The psychology behind the fear of happiness due to the anticipation of unfortunate events following.
• Why Facts Don’t Change Our Minds ?
• How do we know that the typical Internet troll can be either a psychopath or a narcissist?
• Horsemeat Scandal in Professor Elliott’s Review .
• The reasons you should see your psychologists if you think that a celebrity has a crush on you.

Child Psychology Speech Topics

As much as we would like to think that children are like tiny versions of adult humans, there are too many differences. It appears to be the exact aspect that specialists tend to study in child psychology . They look into all the psychological processes emerging and developing from infancy till adolescence.

• What are the main reasons that may contribute to the child’s lack of sleep?
• Gender Bias in Child Care and Child Health: Global Patterns .
• Why is it more important to focus on teaching gratitude to children than encouraging grudges with punishment?
• Time-out is the parenting technique that is not almighty: when should we use it?
• Cognitive Abilities Development of Children and the Role of Communication.
• Acknowledging the child’s feelings is the way to go over their emotional dependency.
• The way that children process the reality of fears and the importance of parents’ support .
• What Are the Traumatic and Positive Effects of Divorce on Children?
• How to support and guide children the right way when they face footage of physical violence?
• Siblings’ relationship and psychology: the influence of having fun with siblings on your sense of humor in adulthood.
• Children’s Development and Domestic Violence .
• What are the most correct and gentle ways to inform your child about a divorce?
• Favorite toys and child psychology : when should parents start worrying about the strong attachment to comfort items?
• Teaching children how to go through a challenge as a way to prepare them for school life.
• How Does Playing Influence Children’s Development and Learning Skills?
• The Role of the Father in the Child’s Life .
• How to prevent your child from forming negative stereotypes resulting from your generalizations?
• Why is it better to continue lying even though your children know the truth about Santa?
• The Analysis of the School-Aged Children’ Needs.
• The importance of normalizing children’s feelings and helping them to cope with death.

Speech Topics about Developmental Psychology

Developmental psychology studies how humans develop from the first seconds of their lives up until their final years. Therefore, it is quite a vast subject. You are welcome to get some inspiration from the speech topics on developmental psychology below.

• Positive reinforcement strategy and developmental psychology: do tangible rewards work as a better motivation for students than social ones?
• What are the effects of bullying from peers on students’ academic achievement?
• Role Development in Professional Nursing Practice.
• The correlation between the parenting styles and the level of child activity.
• Developmental psychology and language: how does sign language influence the language acquisition process in infants?
• Biopsychology: Attention and Perception Interactions .
• Who are the laziest and the most productive children in the family – firstborns or their younger siblings?
• Is it true that not skipping breakfast positively affects a child’s performance?
• Child Observation with Piaget’s and Freud’s Development Theories .
• The benefits and potential disadvantages of listening to music while doing homework for the student.
• Infancy and Early Childhood Development.
• Are children more motivated to eat healthy lunches if they are packed in a visually appealing way?
• How do the explanations of the behavior alter with age: blaming internal aspects or external ones?
• Erik Erikson’s Theories of Human Development.
• The correlation between the level of self-efficacy and the state of memory in older adults.
• Developmental psychology and adults: playing simple mental games and solving puzzles to keep cognitive skills working.
• Emerging Adulthood: Cognitive Development .
• What is the correlation between the limits of short-term memory and people’s age?
• Child’s Language Development and Joint Attention .
• Resilience and developmental psychology: when does it develop, and when is it better to start working on this ability?
• The main internal and external factors that affect the changes of personality with time.
• Classifications of Life-Span Development .
• Do the mother’s mental health and stress levels influence the child’s cognitive development?

Interesting Psychology Topics

Are you struggling to find an engaging and thought-provoking essay topic for your psychology assignment? Look no further! Here are some topics that will spark your interest and provide many opportunities for in-depth exploration.

• The role of empathy in building meaningful relationships.
• The psychology of addiction and recovery.
• “Digital detox” practices for managing screen time and mental well-being.
• The psychology of procrastination and ways to overcome it.
• The link between personality traits and career success.
• The psychological effects of color and its influence on mood.
• The effects of technology on cognitive abilities and attention span.
• The psychology of love and different attachment styles.
• The influence of online gaming on social skills and psychological resilience.
• The psychology of conspiracy theories and their effects on individual and collective behavior.
• The role of nostalgia in mental health and coping mechanisms.
• The impact of urban noise pollution on stress levels and mental health.
• How positive psychology fosters resilience and happiness.
• The psychology of friendship and factors that influence close relationships.
• Gender differences in cognitive abilities and decision making.

Psychology Presentation Topics

For your inspiration, we’ve collected intriguing presentation topics that delve into various aspects of psychology. Get ready to captivate your audience!

• The relationship between childhood trauma and adult mental health.
• The role of attachment theory in adult relationships.
• The neurobiology behind substance abuse.
• The influence of virtual reality on mental health.
• The psychological effects of chronic stress on the body and mind.
• The link between nutrition and mental health.
• Effective study techniques and memory retention.
• The impact of childhood poverty on cognitive development.
• The psychological effects of chronic pain and illness.
• Psychodynamic therapy in treating personality disorders.
• The intersection of psychology and economics.
• The psychological benefits of pet therapy and animal-assisted interventions.
• The impact of meditation and mindfulness on brain function.
• The relationship between emotional intelligence and success in the workplace.
• The psychological impact of parental divorce on children and adolescents.

Wow! Did you read all of them?

Now. If you haven’t picked THE topic, you should have found a psychology subdiscipline that caught your attention.

Social psychology? Developmental psychology? Or clinical psychology?

Have some rest, read other articles on how to write a good psychology essay topic, and come back to our topics compilation.

And we are done here! Post any questions below in the comments section.

Good luck 🍀

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