Personality disorders are diagnosed using a variety of methods, including psychological evaluations and interviews. Diagnostic assessments such as the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-IV) or the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) may be used to gather information about a person’s behavior, thoughts, and emotions to help diagnose a personality disorder.
Other tests, such as the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI) and the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire (PDQ-4), may also be used to assess a person’s symptoms and their severity. Additionally, medical professionals may conduct physical examinations to rule out any other underlying medical conditions that could be causing the symptoms.
A diagnosis of a personality disorder is usually made when a person’s behavior and thinking patterns fit into one of the established categories for personality disorders according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), same as what we used in our quiz for personality disorders.