ABSTRACT
Whether or not clinicians are comfortable ascribing paradigm shift language to clinical practice, there is no denying that major changes in the treatment of the personality disorders have and are occurring. These changes involve not only radically different treatment methods, but also rather different perspectives, conceptualizations, criteria, and assessment methods. Many of these changes are based on clinical research on the personality disorders that has greatly increased in the past decade. This chapter begins by identifying a number of changes in conceptualizing, classifying, and treating the personality disorders. Then, it describes the four-stage treatment model that is basic to the evidence-based approach advocated in this book. Finally, it provides an overview of the remaining chapters of the book.
