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Perinatal foundations of personality pathology from a dynamical systems perspective

Parisa R Kaliush1, Mengyu Miranda Gao1, Robert D Vlisides-Henry1

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Utah, USA.

Current Opinion in Psychology
|January 14, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Personality pathology development begins before birth, influenced by perinatal factors during a sensitive window. These early experiences shape stress response systems, impacting later personality disorder risk.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Psychopathology Research
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Personality pathology arises from complex interactions across the lifespan.
  • Existing research often overlooks early developmental influences.
  • The perinatal period is a critical, yet understudied, window for developmental processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose that personality pathology's origins trace back to the perinatal period.
  • To highlight the perinatal period as a sensitive developmental window.
  • To examine the link between perinatal factors and personality disorders.

Main Methods:

  • Review and synthesis of existing literature.
  • Application of dynamical systems theory.
  • Examination of evidence linking perinatal factors to personality pathology.

Main Results:

  • The perinatal period (pregnancy to one year postpartum) is a sensitive developmental window.
  • Regulatory and stress response systems crucial for personality pathology risk begin forming during this period.
  • Converging evidence shows significant associations between perinatal factors and later personality disorders.

Conclusions:

  • The perinatal period represents a critical developmental stage for understanding personality pathology.
  • Dynamical systems theory provides a valuable framework for future research.
  • This perspective offers new avenues for personality disorder prevention and intervention.

Keywords:
Developmental programmingDynamic systemsPerinatalPersonalityPersonality disorders

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