| any of a group of mental disorders characterized by deeply ingrained maladaptive patterns of behavior and personality style, which are usually recognizable as early as adolescence and are often lifelong in duration. |
personality disorder n.
Any of a group of disorders in which patterns of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about one's self and one's environment interfere with the long-term functioning of an individual, often manifested in deviant behavior and lifestyle.
personality disorder  (pûr'sə-nāl'ĭ-tē) Pronunciation Key
Any of a group of psychiatric disorders in which a person's abnormal self-perception or ability to relate to others results in undesirable behaviors and interferes with normal social and emotional functioning. |