ABSTRACT
Whether or not clinicians believe that a paradigm shift is occurring in clinical practice, it is difficult to deny that major changes in the treatment of the personality disorders have occurred in the past decade. These changes involve not only radically different treatment methods, but also rather different theories, conceptualizations, criteria, and assessment methods. Not surprisingly, theoretical speculation about personality disorders has greatly increased. However, what is surprising is the growing number of theories on personality disorders that are research based (Clarkin & Lenzenweger, 1996). Language to describe personality disorders has also changed dramatically.
