Abstract
Bipolar spectrum disorders (BSDs) are among the most common forms of serious mental illness, with an overall lifetime prevalence rate of just over 2% worldwide. The well-known and widely studied BSDs are bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, and cyclothymic disorder. Pharmacological interventions are the treatments of choice for bipolar I disorder and bipolar II disorder, with mood stabilizers considered first-line medications for both syndromes. This chapter examines the association between personality pathology and BSDs, focusing on links between personality disorders (PDs) and bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, and cyclothymic disorder. It begins with an overview of measures and methods used to diagnose BSDs and PDs, and a discussion of BSD–PD comorbidity and symptom overlap. The chapter reviews the key distinguishing features of BSDs and PDs, and a discussion of psychological assessment tools that facilitate differential diagnosis and help clinicians disentangle the complex relationship between BSDs and PDs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)