In treating a person diagnosed with a personality disorder, what is described as a goal?

In treating a person diagnosed with a personality disorder, what is described as a goal?

• A. Make the ego-syntonic trait ego-alien.
• B. Increase ego-syntonic traits.
• C. Preserve ego-syntonic traits.
• D. Eliminate all ego traits.

Answer: (A)

In treating personality disorders, many problematic patterns are ego-syntonic, meaning the person believes these traits fit who they are and don’t see them as a problem. A therapeutic goal is to shift that perception so these ego-syntonic traits become ego-alien—seen as not really a part of the self and distressing—creating motivation to change. That’s why the best answer is to make the ego-syntonic traits ego-alien. Increasing or preserving ego-syntonic traits would keep the patterns as they are, and eliminating all ego traits isn’t a realistic or appropriate aim.

In treating personality disorders, many problematic patterns are ego-syntonic, meaning the person believes these traits fit who they are and don’t see them as a problem. A therapeutic goal is to shift that perception so these ego-syntonic traits become ego-alien—seen as not really a part of the self and distressing—creating motivation to change. That’s why the best answer is to make the ego-syntonic traits ego-alien. Increasing or preserving ego-syntonic traits would keep the patterns as they are, and eliminating all ego traits isn’t a realistic or appropriate aim.