Personality disorder refers to a wide range of disorders of mental functions, manifested mainly by deviations in the formation of character and behavior, including features of lifestyle and the way of relating to oneself and others.
Both character anomalies and deviant (deviant) behavior can have different origins and do not always represent a painful disorder. Most often they are due to socio-pedagogical neglect, adverse environmental influences. Certainly painful and, therefore, related to the competence of medicine should be considered such deviations in the development of character and behavior, which are based on a combination of pathogenic social and biological factors, including dysontogenesis of the central
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nervous system and gross defects in education in the first years of a child's life, when the formation of the basic properties of a person's personality takes place. The cumulative effect of these factors leads to the fact that deviations in character and behavior are persistent and manifest themselves in subsequent stages of life, even if its conditions are quite favorable. A subject with anomalous character traits is limited in the freedom to choose one or another behavior, one or another action, he is poorly aware of their motives and is not able to rationally plan his actions and manage them. In such cases, we are talking about the so-called or psychopathies. In the ICD-10, they are referred to. The criteria for their diagnosis, which allow them to be distinguished from non-pathological forms of deviant character and behavior, are as follows:
a) abnormal traits of character and behavior appear from early childhood and persist throughout the life of the subject, intensifying under the influence of difficult life circumstances and somewhat smoothing out under favorable conditions;
b) the disharmony of mental life is manifested in almost all its spheres, and not only in affective reactions and behavior. Thus, a psychopathic subject may have an unusual, original way of thinking, in which romantic views and disinterestedness coexist with outright cynicism and contempt for people; the wealth of knowledge and developed speech are combined with the weakness of constructive thinking and undeveloped practical skills, due to which the level of intelligence is underestimated during experimental psychological research; there is a selective decrease in memory for faces, names and surnames of people with a very good memory for abstract objects and theoretical knowledge; gait is angular, facial expressions and gestures are strange, mannered, etc .;
c) under the influence of psychogeny, decompensation repeatedly occurs during life, manifested by neurotic or psychotic stress disorders with the same type of manifestations. For example, every time a criminal is detained, a similar hysterical reaction occurs in the form of Ganser's syndrome with demonstratively absurd behavior.
These diagnostic criteria, however, do not exclude difficulties in recognizing pathological and non-pathological abnormal properties of character and behavior. In the view of a diagnostician, there is always a certain average standard of personality with regional, ethnic characteristics characteristic of a given culture. A sharp deviation from this standard, for example, the desire to live only pleasures and avoidance of any work, the absence of kindred feelings, especially impudent acts of hooliganism and cruelty, may raise doubts about them (a normal person will not behave like that!); but such subjective assessments do not always coincide with clinical reality. Therefore, the diagnosis of psychopathy requires additional criteria. These include data from a genetic study, as well as obstetric anamnesis data that can identify possible lesions of the central nervous system as one of the manifestations of perinatal pathology. The genetic factor plays a special role in the origin of personality disorders. This is supported by the data of twin studies, which showed that concordance for psychopathy in identical twins is several times higher than in fraternal twins. This ratio is maintained even when identical twins are brought up in different families from birth.
Naturally, it is not pathological behavior that is inherited, but the abnormal biological properties of the brain, which is the organ of mental activity. This is confirmed by the high frequency of pathological slow waves detected in the EEG study of patients with psychopathy. Developmental anomalies are often observed in other organs: patients are characterized by a diplastic physique, disproportionately long
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limbs, short neck, abnormal structure of the skull and dentition, deformities of internal organs, hormonal regulation disorders. With great constancy, there are symptoms of vegetovascular dystonia. All these somatic changes, of course, do not serve as a direct cause of pathological character formation, but are an indirect sign (markers) that developmental anomalies could also take place in the central nervous system. Accounting for them is useful in establishing a diagnosis of psychopathy.
The group of psychopathy, the occurrence of which is associated with the impact of not only social and environmental, but also biological factors, is relatively small and accounts for approximately 25-30% of the total number of people in whom it is customary to diagnose personality disorders at the present stage of development of psychiatry (V. Ya. Gindikin ). A significant number of these disorders fall on the so-called sociopathies, in which a gross discrepancy between behavior and the prevailing social norms is due to environmental factors, the social experience of the subject. In the years following the end of World War II, socially maladaptive behavior increased dramatically in many countries, especially among children and adolescents. Society could not solve this problem with traditional educational and repressive influences, and under its pressure, interest began to grow in psychiatry in anomalies of character and behavior, occupying an intermediate position between the norm and pathology. The fact was taken into account that if the social environment and the upbringing of the child do not carry the conditions necessary for the harmonious formation of the personality, this can lead to its persistent and irreversible changes that violate the vital interests of both the subject and society. In other words, socially determined abnormal development of character can give rise to personal changes that manifest themselves in the future at all stages of a person's life. The relationship of these changes to medicine is not sufficiently substantiated, but is supported by the interests of disease prevention: caused by family-pedagogical and
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in a broad sense, social neglect, changes in character and behavior in the future can acquire the properties of a stereotype and manifest themselves on every, even insignificant occasion (for example, repeated suicide attempts provoked by minor conflicts). Such actions sooner or later lead to social disadaptation of the subject, serve as a predisposition factor to neurotic and psychotic diseases, to the development of alcoholism and drug addiction.
Thus, it is customary to refer to personality disorders as a wide range of conditions, on one pole of which there are deviations in character and behavior due to family and pedagogical neglect and adverse conditions of the social environment, and on the other - character anomalies associated mainly with a violation of the biological functions of the central nervous system. . Between it there is a chain of transitional variants, in the origin of which in some cases outweighs the role of social, in others - biological factors.
In practical terms, it is unacceptable to attribute personality disorders to such deviations in character and behavior that are entirely due to unfavorable conditions of upbringing and social environment and in which there are no clinically pronounced stereotypes of deviant behavior leading to persistent social maladaptation. Deviation from this rule leads to negative consequences: unreasonable placement in psychiatric institutions and psychiatric treatment of mentally healthy persons, restriction of the rights and obligations of the subject (exemption from military service, from criminal liability in case of a crime, restrictions on employment, etc.). The incorrect attribution of non-pathological forms of deviant behavior to personality disorders also serves as a reason for the passivity of educational authorities, law enforcement agencies, administration and public organizations, which tend to transfer responsibility for correcting this behavior to medical organizations ().
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1. Personality disorders in childhood and adolescence
Four factors in modern society determine the development of the character and behavior of children and adolescents: family, peer group, youth subculture and school. Their role is important not only in itself, but it also reflects the social and cultural values ​​of the whole society. Thus, the influence of the family, which plays a leading role in the formation of the character and personality of the child, focuses on itself the cultural values ​​that prevail in society: respectful or, on the contrary, skeptical attitude towards knowledge and education; beliefs in the admissibility or inadmissibility of behavior that infringes on the rights and interests of another person; moral, religious beliefs and much more. All these factors operating in society are invisibly present in family relations, leaving a powerful imprint on the child's attitudes in choosing one or another form of behavior. Even the negative influence of an asocial group of peers does not serve as the root cause of the social maladjustment of a child or adolescent, since even before joining this group, thanks to the attitudes formed in the family, he was already present psychologically and tried to imitate the behavior of its members. The role of the family is to develop in the child the readiness or unwillingness to perceive the positive and negative influences of the surrounding social environment.
In the formation of a youth subculture that influences the personality of a child and a teenager, art and the media play an important role. But they also operate in direct connection with the influence of the child's family and microsocial environment. Thus, a child who has learned in the family and in the reference group of adolescents attitudes towards asocial forms of behavior, disrespect for the law and morality, easily imitates patterns of negative behavior of characters in films and television programs, accepts scenes of crimes, violence and rude erotica to imitate. An important mediator in the transmission of the main cultural values ​​of society is school education and upbringing. They affect the child
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directly, and through the family and parents, who are also yesterday's students who have learned the cultural values ​​of the society at school.
Among the various forms of behavioral disorders in children and adolescents with personality disorders, several types of reactions can be distinguished:
a) Aggressive reactions in Children who are not prone to grouping. Such children easily get into fights, show sadistic cruelty towards other children and animals, behave defiantly with adults, showing malicious mischief. They are characterized by reactions of active protest in response to insults, infringement of pride, the desire to openly take revenge on their offender. Such behavior is most often found in children brought up in families where their parents rejected them, did not show warmth, understanding and support towards them.
b) Delinquent behavior of children prone to grouping. Delinquency is a tendency to commit misdemeanors that do not reach the level of a criminal offense punishable at this age. These children tend to join antisocial groups of their peers, together with whom they engage in theft and commit other group crimes. They typically refuse to attend school, return home late, are prone to running away from home and vagrancy, substance abuse, and easy sexual intercourse. Such behavior is more often observed in children in families where parents do not show interest in them and where there are antisocial subjects in the immediate environment. A child growing up in conditions of neglect achieves a sense of security and support through full membership in a delinquent group with which he seeks to identify himself. Behavioral disturbances and aggressiveness do not always stem from a logically understandable conflict situation. Often they represent a covert attempt to compensate for their dissatisfaction with family relationships,
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to get rid of the feeling of inferiority and inadequacy, to feel bold and decisive. A defiant attitude towards teachers can also serve as a means, hidden from oneself, to influence parents, to attract their attention, to get rid of feelings of guilt.
c) In children brought up in families where the attitude towards them was built according to the type with the expression of constant enthusiasm about their real or imaginary virtues and permissiveness, there is often a hysterical variant of personality development with a constant desire to attract attention, with demonstrative behavior and violent outbursts emotions in response to any failures, dissatisfaction with their excessive demands. At school, they strive for formal leadership, although they are careless in the performance of public duties and do not know how to achieve real authority among their comrades.
d) In addition to personality disorders characterized by increased affective excitability of children, their aggressiveness, antisocial behavior, there is an inhibited variant of personality disorders. In most cases, we are talking about children growing up in families where the parents themselves are distinguished by anxiety and hypersensitivity. In other cases, excessive demands are placed on children to perform household chores, achieve school success beyond the child's ability, with criticism and threats of punishment. Such children are characterized by insecurity, excessive shyness and anxiety. They poorly adapt in children's institutions, have difficulty getting along with their peers, suffer from feelings of inferiority and loneliness, and the inability to find friends. Some of them, despite their satisfactory intellectual development, study with obvious effort. Poor performance in school deepens their feelings of inferiority and guilt. e) Similar personality changes can occur in children.
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with physical disabilities, suffering from chronic somatic diseases (consequences of cerebral palsy, obesity, kyphosis, extensive birthmark in the face, etc.). A reduced self-concept and a significant discrepancy between the ideal self (how the child would like to see himself) and the real self (how he sees himself in reality) leads to the emergence of compensation and overcompensation reactions, which serve as a means of protecting the self-concept. So, a physically weak and timid child in dreams and games imagines himself as a brave warrior, sailor; a child brought up by despotic parents prefers to play with younger children, commands them, punishes them. Hypercompensation for feelings of inferiority can take the form of pathological fantasizing. So, a child who has returned from a walk in the woods says that he killed a snake there, or he claims that his older brother gave him a real gun. Compensatory reactions can take the form of bravado, desperate or daring actions that are not consistent with the true character of the child and are aimed at arousing the admiration of others.
Personality disorders in childhood and adolescence are relatively dynamic. As they grow older and under favorable conditions of life and upbringing, they tend to compensate, which gives them the right to classify them as transient (transistor) disorders. A prognostically unfavorable sign is the pathological inertia of deviant character traits, manifested by a persistent stereotype of disturbed behavior. They find themselves in any conditions: in the family, when transferred to another educational institution, when placed in a special boarding school for difficult-to-raise children, when changing their place of residence and in a new company of peers. Such children and adolescents, having become adults, continue to be socially maladjusted in more than 80% of cases, and they are usually diagnosed with psychopathy (sociopathy).
Peculiar personality disorders are often observed in children and adolescents brought up in orphanages. AT
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they are most pronounced in children entering orphanages from special medical institutions, where they are brought up to 3-4 years. These children are autistic, they have a weak need for communication, often there is a delay in the development of speech, they do not know how to play the usual children's games. The potential for self-development inherent in infancy due to internal energy by 6-8 months. fading away. A large number of so-called ones appear: the child sways, sucks his finger, lip, reproduces the same movement without any apparent meaning. A child growing up in a boarding school does not learn the skills of productive contacts with adults, these contacts are superficial, nervous and hasty: they are ready to snuggle up, hang on to any person who comes to the institution, but they do not know how to develop these relationships and immediately run away, switching to passive alienation or aggression.
A special problem is the phenomenon in the orphanage. In a normal family, this is a feeling that reflects belonging to one's family, creating conditions for the protection of the child. Orphanage is a different education. Children without parents divide the world into and. At the school where orphanage children go to study, classmates from families act in their minds as what develops negative relationships in them. In orphanages there are cruel relationships, sexual deviations. Among their reasons is a deformed compensation for missing love, positive emotions of normal communication. Without a developed ability to understand the spiritual world of another, to sympathize and empathize, children in boarding schools live according to a group moral standard, guided by a group conscience, bail. The result is low social adaptation of the majority of children who have completed their studies in a boarding school and are entering an independent life (V. S. Mukhina).
The differential diagnosis of psychopathy and deviant behavior due to socio-pedagogical neglect is extremely difficult. Percentage of diagnostic-functional psychogenic diseases________________257
The lower the age of the patient, the higher the errors, and reaches 27-40% with early diagnosis of psychopathy (V. A. Guryeva, V. Ya. Gindikin). It is necessary to search for additional diagnostic criteria, among which we can name the level of self-consciousness. Deviation from the normal development of self-consciousness serves as the basis for establishing a pathologically altered rate of personality maturation, dysfunctions of self-control and self-regulation of behavior involved in the mechanisms of deviant behavior in adolescence. A low level of self-awareness is associated with mental immaturity, which makes a teenager unprepared for social requirements, sharpens his characteristic affective excitability, disinhibition of drives, inadequate claims to adulthood.
V. S. Chudnevsky and A. Yu. Krzhechkovsky proposed a method for determining the level of self-awareness in adolescents under the conditions of mass preventive examinations of students starting from the age of 11. The level of self-awareness is determined using the indicator of the adequacy of self-assessments (ASE) by comparing the assessments of various personality parameters by the subject himself and an expert - a teacher, an educator who knows all the members of this study group well. A questionnaire is used that includes 22 pairs of alternative features (Table 5). Questionnaire forms are distributed to all students who, after appropriate instruction, independently assess the degree of severity of each feature in points (0, 1, 2, 3). The same forms for each student, but independently of them, are filled in by an expert. To determine the AFR, a number of elementary mathematical operations are performed. First, the value of self-assessment of each personality parameter (C) is determined; it equals the algebraic sum of the scores for the alternative features of each pair. The second operation is the determination of the value of expert assessments (EA), which is carried out in a similar way. The third operation is to calculate the algebraic difference d=C-30 for each pair of features.
°. Zap. 101
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Table 5 The text of the questionnaire and an example of calculating ASR
No. Personal parameters Score (+) Personality parameters Score (-) With EE d 1 Charming 3 Unattractive 0 +3 +3 0 2 Weak-willed 0 Strong-willed 2 -2 -2 -1 3 Irresponsible 0 Conscientious 3 -3 +2 - 5 4 Stubborn O Compliant 1 -1 +3 -4 5 Closed - Frank 3 -3 +3 -6 6 Good 3 Evil 0 +3 +3 0 7 Dependent - Independent - - -2 6 8 Active 3 Passive - +3 + 2 +1 9 Callous 1 Responsive 3 -2 -1 -1 10 Decisive 3 Indecisive 1 +2 -3 +5 11 Sluggish - Energetic 0 0 -3 3 12 Fair 2 Unfair 2 0 +2 -2 13 Courageous 3 Fearful 0 3 -1 +4 14 Impatient 3 Patient 1 +2 3 -1 15 Irreconcilable - Indulgent - - 0 +6 16 Confident 2 Unsure 2 0 0 0 17 Unsociable 0 Sociable 3 -3 -3 0 18 Honest 3 Dishonest 2 +1 - 1 +2 19 Dependent - Independent 3 -3 0 -3 20 Short-tempered 1 Unflappable - +1 -1 +2 21 Cheerful 3 Sad 1 +2 +3 -1 22 Willful 0 Obedient 3 -3 +3 -6
132-59 ASO = - = 0.55
EI^
\ 132
Note: 1. The numerical values ​​of EE are taken from the form filled in for this student by the class teacher. 2. Signs (+) and (-) before the numerical values ​​of d are omitted.
When examining adolescents, especially of the younger age group, they often state that they do not understand the meanings of certain designations of personality traits, and they cannot evaluate them in themselves. In such cases, do not help the subjects or give them any explanation. Ignorance of the term means the inability of the subject to give a verbal (cognitive) assessment of this quality of personality, which should be taken into account when determining the final result. Therefore, in case of ignorance of some psychological concept and inability to use it for self-assessment, the subject must put a dash in the column. If the subject does not understand the psychological meaning of both signs from the pair and cannot evaluate them, then d is taken equal to 6, that is, it is equal to the maximum value. If one attribute from a pair is not evaluated, then the numerical value of the other is taken equal to 0. The last operation is the determination of ASO. To do this, the absolute values ​​of d are summed up for all 22 pairs of features. Given that the values ​​of d can range from 0 to 6, theoretically the sum (^jd] = 59) can range from 0 to 132. Hence: 132-^1
ASO-132
With the help of this technique, during a mass examination of adolescents, it was found that normally, in the absence of pathological changes in character and personality, the value of ASD gradually increases over the period from II to 15 years from 0.43 + 0.04 to 0.75 + 0.06 . In contrast, in transient psychopathic disorders (pathocharacterological reactions) and in psychopathy, it stably remains at a low level. ASD above 0.62 occurs in 81% of cases in adolescents aged 14-17 years without mental disorders and only in 21% of cases in adolescents with psychopathy. ASD below 0.62 is observed in 19% of cases in mentally healthy adolescents and in 79% of cases in adolescents with clinically verified psychopathy (both and transient).
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Even more important for diagnosis are the extreme values ​​of ASD observed in some adolescents aged 14-17 years. In mentally healthy adolescents, regardless of the characteristics of their behavior, ASD values ​​equal to 0.55 and below are not observed. On the contrary, with pathological anomalies of character and personality, there are no ASD values ​​equal to 0.70 or more; establishing them in adolescents of this age practically makes it possible to exclude the diagnosis of psychopathy.
A certain diagnostic value is also established during clinical examination of symptoms of a constitutional anomaly of the central nervous system, anomalies of physique and internal organs, which, taking into account other diagnostic criteria, testify in favor of the diagnosis of psychopathy.
2. Personality disorders in adulthood
The enrichment and complication of a person’s mental activity in adulthood, the increase in his role in society and his responsibility for his actions lead to the fact that in this period of life personality disorders become more diverse, it becomes possible to differentiate and classify them with a greater degree of certainty. But even under these conditions, the classifications of personality disorders remain conditional, since in most cases we are talking about mixed types, including symptoms of different types of psychopathy. The ICD-10 classification of types of personality disorders is preferred. .
Paranoid personality disorder is characterized by excessive sensitivity to situations that create obstacles to achieving the desired, leading to even a slight infringement of self-esteem and excessively developed self-esteem. Patients tend to biasedly interpret any actions of the people around them depending on their sympathies and
antipathies, to take neutral and even friendly actions for hostile and hostile, to see the infringement of one's rights in everything. A militant and stubborn consciousness of being right in any circumstances and his role as a fighter for truth and justice, which are understood from the standpoint of narrow personal interests, is characteristic. Otherwise, patients are distinguished by spiritual poverty, pettiness in everyday life, envious and suspicious attitude towards people, inability to forgive insults, painful jealousy.
In the event of decompensation under the influence of emerging conflicts, a reaction of litigation arises, systematic persecution begins, to which the most disgusting qualities are attributed, endless complaints are written to all state, public and judicial instances, in which any minor miscalculations of opponents are qualified as malicious and criminal, discrediting anonymous letters are sent. The circle of persecuted persons is constantly expanding due to all those who took part in the analysis of conflicts and who, in the patient's opinion, did not show proper integrity and impartiality. The development of struggle can give rise to super-valuable delusions, including delusions of jealousy. Patients with overvalued delusions pose a great social danger, as they are prone to commit aggressive, terrorist acts against their own or those suspected of adultery. This type of personality disorder is also referred to as paranoid psychopathy.
Emotionally unstable personality disorder (excitable psychopathy) is manifested by a tendency to impulsive actions without taking into account the consequences. Outbursts of intense anger can lead to violence, especially if the patient's wishes and actions are opposed by others and criticized by them. Conflict relationships with loved ones often lead to suicide threats and self-harm.
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Hyetrionic personality disorder (hysterical psychopathy) is characterized by extreme variability of emotional reactions, inconsistency of behavior. Patients are fickle in their affections, capricious, their mood is changeable. They show an irrepressible desire to constantly be in the center of attention of others, to arouse sympathy, an attitude of admiration, surprise. This is achieved by extravagant appearance, boasting, deceit and fantasy. Patients are lazy and irresponsible in the performance of everyday duties, but are lively and energetic when they expect their activity to be noticed. They strive for attention and respect in society, although they do not make much effort for this. The low level of self-consciousness does not allow them to objectively evaluate their behavior: they see themselves as people capable of self-sacrifice for the sake of their relatives and friends, not noticing their actual egoistic attitude towards them. Being sweet and flirtatious with people they want to make a good impression on, they become tyrants in the family, showing callousness and even cruelty to their loved ones. In an effort to attract attention to themselves with their weakness and helplessness, such people become regular visitors to medical institutions, complaining of unbearable physical and mental suffering.
Pseudologs (pathological liars) predominate among men with hyetrionic disorder. They are distinguished by a penchant for fantasizing, they talk about extraordinary incidents in which they assign themselves a spectacular role, about acquaintances with outstanding people, trying to present themselves as a person more significant than they really are. Among them there are many petty scammers, imaginary psychics, marriage swindlers.
Decompensation of histrionic disorder manifests itself in the form of hysterical neurosis or psychosis described above.
Anankastic personality disorder manifests itself as indecision, a tendency to doubt
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and exaggerated caution, uncertainty about their own abilities and capabilities. In any case, patients show exaggerated attention to detail, regardless of the importance of solving the problem, they endlessly double-check the correctness of their actions. Such excessive scrupulousness and striving for perfection (perfectionism) lead to the fact that a person is immersed in activities, avoiding all life's pleasures, communicating with people without business necessity, not looking for ways to express warm feelings to other people. Pedantry and formalism, stubbornness and perseverance in the requirements of keeping order by everyone around makes such people difficult to communicate in everyday life and at work.
Decompensation of abnormal personality traits in a conflict is manifested in the form of obsessive-compulsive disorders. Another name for this type of disorder is psychasthenia or psychasthenic psychopathy.
Anxiety (avoidant) personality disorder is characterized by a constant feeling of tension and expectation of trouble, excessive sensitivity to criticism with a simultaneous constant desire to please other people. Self-doubt is manifested by an increased tendency to introspection and a feeling of inferiority, humiliation. Fear of possible failure causes the subject to limit the range of his attachments and avoid any activity, even minimally associated with risk. In the case of decompensation, asthenic and anxiety-depressive symptoms come to the fore. Another designation for this disorder is inhibited-type psychopathy or asthenic psychopathy.
Other anomalous personality traits are less common, or they represent one of the variants already described *.
* Schizoid and cycloid psychopathy have been described in chapter V as pathological conditions of an endogenous nature.
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A special type of personality disorders are psychological and behavioral disorders associated with impaired sexual differentiation and sexual functions. These include transsexualism - a sexual perversion based on the belief of the subject that his sexual characteristics do not correspond to him. The subject persistently seeks to change his sexual organs through surgery or seeks to hide his gender by dressing in clothes worn by people of the opposite sex and adopting their behavior. Transvestism is close to transsexualism. With it, sexual satisfaction is also achieved by dressing in clothes of the opposite sex, but without a steady desire to identify oneself with a person of this sex.
Another group of sexual behavior disorders includes sexual preference disorders. It includes fetishism - obtaining sexual satisfaction by manipulating items of clothing or other items that symbolically reflect gender; exhibitionism - the achievement of sexual pleasure by exposing the genitals in front of persons of the opposite sex; pedophilia - a perverted sexual attraction to children of both sexes; sadomasochism - the achievement of sexual pleasure when causing painful irritations to a sexual partner or oneself; and a number of others.
Abnormal sexual inclinations and behavior are treated differently in different societies and cultures and in different eras. In particular, in the International Classification of Diseases of the 9th revision (ICD-9), homosexuality was singled out as a special heading among sexual perversions - exclusive or predominant sexual attraction to persons of the same sex with or without physical intercourse. In subsequent years, due to a change in the attitude of society in a number of countries, as well as legislation relating to homosexuality, this type of sexual desire and behavior was no longer considered as reflecting in all
cases of pathological change in sexual preference. Therefore, in the ICD-10, only psychological and behavioral disorders associated with homosexuality are included in the number of painful disorders, but not homosexuality itself as such. Authoritative American sexologists W. Masters and W. Johnson believe that homosexuality is not a disease; its therapy should be determined not by the doctor, but by the client, and only those homosexuals who do not want to come to terms with their sexual orientation, suffer from it, but cannot change it on their own, need treatment.
The desire to establish a direct connection between changes in sexual behavior and endocrine dysfunctions, characteristic of the early stage in the development of sexology and sexopathology, has not received sufficient confirmation. Numerous studies of the hormonal profile of men and women suffering from disorders of gender identity and sexual orientation have not yielded definite results, and attempts at hormone therapy have been unsuccessful. This does not exclude, however, the influence on sexual behavior of more subtle neuroendocrine factors that are not amenable to a full-fledged analysis at the present stage. There is, for example, the hypothesis of the German endocrinologist G. Dörner that the development of homosexuality can be at least partially influenced by the discrepancy between the genetic sex of the fetus and the sex-specific androgen level during the critical period of brain differentiation during fetal development. In general, psychosexual development is the result of the combined influences of natural factors and upbringing. But in any case, there is a close connection between the gender identity and sexual orientation of the subject with the characteristics of his personality and social adaptation. This makes it justified, at least at the present stage, to include psychological and behavioral disorders in them in the scope of personality disorders.
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Psychogeometry was formed as a system in the USA, and its creator is Susan Dellinger. The psychogeometric test allows you to instantly determine the typology of a person's personality, characterize personal qualities and create a scenario for a person's behavior in standard situations. You can pass the Dellinger psychogeometric test online in a few minutes, and the diagnostic accuracy will be about 85%.

Psychogeometric psychology test

Look carefully at the five shapes: rectangle, square, circle, triangle, zigzag. Choose from them the one that best suits you. Try to become aware of your form. If you cannot choose, then mark the figure that first caught your eye. Now rank the remaining figures by writing their names under the correct numbers.

Interpretation of the Dellinger psychometric test

The figure that you chose first will determine the main, dominant features of your character and behavior. The other four figures are modulators that influence the main line of your behavior. The figure to which you assigned the last fifth number will characterize the person with whom it is most difficult for you to find a common language.

Square.

Tireless workers who have chosen this figure, they are characterized by perseverance, zeal, a desire to bring any work begun to the end. These people love to collect all kinds of data, the constant need for information, patience, diligence and endurance make them highly qualified specialists in their field. The strength of the Square is the ability for mental analysis, the ability to give out the necessary information almost instantly. People who choose a square are most often left-brained, that is, those who process information sequentially. They are very attentive to details, love order, dream of a planned life. Such people can be excellent technicians and administrators, but the work of managers is not for them, the need for accurate and detailed information deprives these people of efficiency in making decisions. Emotional dryness, rationality and conservatism in decision-making prevent Squares from establishing contacts.

Triangle

This is a symbol of a leader, such people are able to highlight the main goals, set specific goals for themselves and, as a rule, achieve them. Triangles are also left hemisphere and are able to deeply and quickly analyze the situation. But unlike Squares, who are interested in details, Triangles are focused on the essence of the situation. The need to manage the situation, to be always right makes such a person constantly competing with others, working only to win. Triangles quickly learn new things, absorbing knowledge like a sponge. Such people are often impatient and do not like those who hesitate in their decisions, they are extremely ambitious. Squares want to achieve the best quality of their work, and Triangles strive to achieve high status. The main negative quality of these people is egocentrism, which does not allow them to be especially scrupulous on the way to the top.

Rectangle

This figure symbolizes the transitional state of the individual, so they are characterized by inconsistency and unpredictability. These people can change a lot in one day. They often have low self-esteem, but they need to communicate with other people, although others may shy away from interacting with such a malleable person. At the same time, Rectangles are inquisitive, bold, open to everything new. Such people are easily suggestible, the mime is easy to manipulate.

A circle

This symbol speaks of harmony and the desire to establish good interpersonal relationships, the highest value for the Circle is people. He is the one who holds the work team together, knows how to listen, has a high degree of empathy, perceiving someone else's pain as his own. Such people do not like conflicts and tend to be the first to give in, their motto is "If only there was no war." Those who choose the Circle belong to the right hemisphere, they rely more on intuition, most of all they pay attention to subjective moments - feelings, values. Such people can find common ground even in opposing points of view; they are born psychologists. But the lack of organizational skills inherent in the Triangle and the methodicalness of the Square will prevent the Circle from becoming the head of a serious business.

Zigzag

Those who choose such a symbol have creative, creative thinking. If a person firmly chooses a zigzag, then he is a dissident, he is characterized by intuitiveness, imagery. Zigzag thoughts are often misunderstood by left brain rational Triangles and Squares. Such people do not concentrate on details, they see beauty as a whole, their aesthetic sense is very developed. But the Zigzags do not seek to reach a consensus, they want a conflict of ideas, contradictions, in order to bring something new out of there. They don't like routine monotony, people trembling because of status or agreeing for the sake of appearance. Zigzags cannot work where there is a clear structure, they need independence like air. This sign is the most excitable and enthusiastic, it is a symbol of idealists, such people are expressive and eccentric. But specific details and trifles are not for them, they cannot be too persistent, which prevents them from bringing all their ideas to life.

It may happen that no figure suits you completely. In this case, a combination of two or even three figures can describe your personality.

When we educate and educate ourselves (or try to do it with others), we have before our eyes a tempting ideal - a comprehensively (it is understood that harmoniously) developed personality.

I will name the moment in history when this brilliant mirage was born, leading many to the very heart of the desert.

In the Renaissance (it is also the Renaissance), a type of personality appeared, which is usually called the "Titans of the Renaissance", with the light hand of either Marx or Engels. In Russia, Mikhail Lomonosov, for example, can serve as an example of such a person. These titans were distinguished by the fact that they could do a lot at once: they wrote treatises on chemistry, mineralogy, the art of sonnets, riding, poisons ... At the same time, they were engaged in public administration, dissected corpses, painted pictures, worked as diplomats, doctors, made discoveries in astronomy, knew many languages ​​and collected antique fragments, compiling such catalogs for them, which art critics partially use to this day. This type of personality is called - " renaissance personality type ". I can do everything, I can do everything. Such people are still found now. But very rarely. This is a special gift, a dislocation of nature, an exception to the rule. Like flexibility (stretching) in gymnastics, like in ballet - a high jump.

However, the world that decided to bow before the Renaissance (from the dubious principle - "one must bow before something." So Russia decided to "bow down" before Pushkin) raised this dislocation, this unique gift, into a universal ideal. Feel the mistake, please! This mistake cost us dearly.

Yes, the Renaissance personality type... "happens." And there are times when the number of people with this type of personality is growing right before our eyes. Is this connected with "passionate explosions", with the next round of the scientific and technological revolution, when dozens of new sciences are being laid ... everything is possible. Such a "passionate explosion" was the period when all modern sciences were laid - 5-3 centuries BC, in Ancient Greece. The renaissance is called "Renaissance" precisely because Europe once again experienced the state that the ancient Greeks experienced in Athens.

The universe is cyclical, rhythmic, subject to ebb and flow. Society is going through a "peak form", periods of calm development and ... recessions. What happens to a society at the peak of its form cannot be expected from it at other times.

But the mistake was launched, became the dogma of the education system. And we all unconsciously strive to be a "comprehensively developed personality." And we pay for this by becoming smaller, turning into stupid and unbearable amateurs, and only degenerating even faster.

However, everyone who thinks about education and self-education should remember: the most important sign of a formed personality is

developed ability to choose and select

What is hidden under the beautiful phrase "the ability to choose and select"? And the following is hidden under it: to choose and select a person forced. And forces him to do it all the time a lack of anything.

If a person did not have it herself shortage , he would not have learned to choose and would not have become a formed personality.

So need makes us, if not geniuses, then at least talented people, craftsmen, inventors. This is the meaning of the saying: "The need for inventions is cunning."

We curse the need to "choose and select" when we should thank it. Imagine all your needs. Now imagine how much money you have for this. The ability to choose and take away will be formed in us only when there is not enough money for all the needs.

It's like a parable about football and the old man Hottabych watching him. Give every player a ball and the game will fall apart.

Let me remind you once again: a developed ability to choose and select is a sign of a well-formed personality. And it's not even about the lack of money. There is another, more total lack, which we are all endowed with from birth. We cannot choose "a hundred ways and a hundred roads" at the same time due to the lack of life time. We have very little time to deal with everything, to cover everything. Therefore, all of us, both rich and poor, are still subject to necessity. choose .

But the ideal of a “comprehensively (“harmoniously”) developed personality, which has been serving us as a false guide for a long time, does not allow us to develop this skill in ourselves. crippled and turned into a mental freak.

Fatally, the pursuit of culture breeds lack of culture. The pursuit of knowledge generates dullness of the mind and inner emptiness. The thirst for constant activity leads to the fact that not a single thing is brought to an end.

And our education continues to bend its line - demanding perfection in all areas. Of course, you can turn your back to the formation, but you will receive the stigma of a loser. And not everyone cares about this invisible, but tangible stigma. And therefore, many - are drawn from the last forces, depriving themselves of the opportunity to become what they wanted and could be - perfection.

However, there are more and more people who are not afraid to "turn their backs", and therefore loners are no longer so afraid. There are people whose children do not go to school at all, but study at home. Oddly enough, they master the 10-year math program in 2 years without straining. There are people who could afford a very pretentious lyceum with a reinforced program, but prefer to send their child to an idyllic-quiet local school, where elderly teachers coo like doves and poke a wooden pointer at an outdated manual, and children and parents are just as quiet, good and without pretensions.

And those who go the same way, leading to a dead end, by increasing the amount of information, come to terrible results - they acquire vulgarity . My favorite English writer is Gilbert Keith Chesterton, in one of his essays he wrote probably the best words about this:

"It seems to me that vulgarity has two indispensable features: nothing is difficult for her and nothing alien. A vulgar person, in the full sense of the word, pours out - thoughts and feelings gush out of him, he does not select them, does not filter them. He is everything knows i.e. knows nothing. He who knows everything has lost sacred awe... he judges everything immodestly, haughtily, he forgot that everything in the world is sacred in its own way.

It is impossible not to continue the discussion about such "comprehensive one-sidedness" with the words of Arthur Schopenhauer, whom I do not like. But how precise he is sometimes in his pessimism!

"The dullness of the mind gives rise to an inner emptiness. You will see it on many faces. It gives itself out as a constant interest in the most insignificant external events. This inner emptiness pushes in the pursuit of external excitations in order to stir up the mind and soul with at least something."

Here I am writing these lines, and in my eyes there is a transmission "Let them talk." As if Schopenhauer and Chesterton wrote about her.

However, I have worse examples. What do I need some transmission? I have before my eyes the fate of specific people.

Nothing stuns a child more than having to go to school and get good grades from there. Before my eyes, not one smart, interesting preschooler turned into a dumb and unhappy middle school student. To the question "Why does the child not read anything?" I hear one standard answer from mothers and grandmothers: "Yes, when should she read? She has so many lessons!"

But why should these "excellent students" learn French and English at the same time? About a hundred years ago, people learned English in order to read Shakespeare in the original. Voltaire and La Rochefoucauld were read in French. Why do education for those who happily spend their leisure time "VKontakte"?

Our education shines with the light of a dead, extinguished star. It performs some senseless actions, but the purpose for which these actions are performed has long been in the span.

The theme of "comprehensively developed personality" from the side of psychology does not cease to excite me. The fact is that I personally, physically, suffered and continue to suffer in the company of those from whom they tried to make this very "comprehensively developed personality", but received the type of so-called "educated person". These people always got fives. But get close to them, look into their eyes. They are empty, like the monsters from a nightmare.

There are many ways to describe character and destiny of man. Divination by the sounds of names and surnames, analysis of lines in the palm of your hand and astrological calculations no longer surprise anyone. We will bring to your attention a simple test developed by foreign psychologists.

Before you - five geometric shapes: circle, square, rectangle, triangle, zigzag. Choose one of them that you like the most. It is she who will describe your character traits, strengths and weaknesses.

A circle. You are kind and responsive. You have the finest intuition, feeling the interconnections imperceptible to others. Love communication, take an active part in the fate of loved ones. If one of them has problems, then there is no doubt: you will be the first person to help - both in word and deed. At the same time, do not let others sit on your neck and abuse your kindness. You will benefit from learning how to say “no.”

Square- the figure of pedantic, neat people. You are very diligent, diligent, you carry out any assignment conscientiously and on time. Be sure to bring all your undertakings to their logical conclusion. Love to learn something new: it is quite possible that you have several higher educations or have versatile hobbies. Your shortcoming is demanding of yourself and others, often turning into empty pickiness. Do not become a pedantic "cracker" in the eyes of others.

Rectangle says that you are versatile and very inquisitive. You have a wide erudition, friends jokingly call you an "encyclopedia man." Easily change the field of activity: for example, being a professional engineer, you can suddenly go into trade, go to artists or open your own business. It is this lightness that is your scourge: sometimes it is very difficult for you to concentrate on one thing, to understand what you want most of all.

Triangle choose sane, balanced people. You are purposeful, you know what you want from life, you clearly formulate your own thoughts. In the company of friends or a work team, stay confident, feel like a leader, like to be in the spotlight. Problems arise when you have to recognize someone's superiority or put up with someone else's leadership - in this regard, you need to work on yourself.

Zigzag. You are an extraordinary person. You are active, cheerful, cannot imagine your life without communication and constantly generate new ideas. Rigid limits, a clear work schedule, a dress code can bring you to depression! You must admit that you never lose heart, you are never bored. True, loved ones often complain about your eccentricity and unpredictability. It is worth listening to yourself more often, not making empty promises and learning to plan your own time - for a day, a week, a month, a year ahead.