A new preprint study reveals that specific childhood traits and experiences can predict the development of certain personality disorders in adolescence. The current work, led by Lars Wichstrøm of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, links traits such as oddity, low self-esteem, and social withdrawal, as well as events such as victimization from bullying, to cluster A (schizoid, schizotypal, and paranoid) personality disorder traits in adolescence.
Notably, the current work did not find a link between developing cluster A personality disorder traits in adolescence and factors such as attachment style, autism spectrum disorder symptoms, and serious adverse life events in childhood.
The current work has not yet been through peer review. This means that experts have not thoroughly scrutinized the methods, and the results have not been adequately validated.
The authors write:
“Cluster A traits at age 16 can be predicted by a range of child-related factors already evident in preschool or 1st grade, most notably oddity, symptoms of emotional and behavioral disorders, low self-esteem, social withdrawal, and personality traits.”
The very idea of “personality disorders” is contested. Critics argue that these categories often conflate moral judgments with medical labels, pathologize responses to trauma, and carry heavy stigma, while others point to the cultural and normative assumptions built into their assessment.
Against this backdrop, the current research seeks to untangle how certain childhood traits and experiences interact with social environments: how parental and peer responses to oddity, withdrawal, or low self-esteem can reinforce or magnify those traits, and how these patterns may harden into difficulties with functioning and well-being in adolescence.
By tracing this loop of traits, environments, and responses, the authors attempt to clarify developmental pathways that may lead to what psychiatry now terms cluster A personality disorder traits.
You've landed on a MIA journalism article that is funded by MIA supporters. To read the full article, sign up as a MIA Supporter. All active donors get full access to all MIA content, and free passes to all Mad in America events.
Current MIA supporters can log in below.(If you can't afford to support MIA in this way, email us at [email protected] and we will provide you with access to all donor-supported content.)
