Cluster A Personality Disorders

There is strong evidence that schizotypal PD is a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder and an initial diagnosis of schizotypal PD is a strong predictor of future onset of schizophrenia. Despite this evidence, there are questions about whether schizotypal PD or the other Cluster A disorders as currently diagnosed best reflect traits indicating risk for schizophrenia. Further, it is still not empirically resolved to what extent positive schizotypal symptoms reflect genetic risk for schizophrenia. There is strong evidence that schizotypal PD is related to psychological trauma. At the same time, there is evidence that some schizotypal symptoms do appear to reflect variation on normal personality traits, but it is still unresolved whether and how schizotypal symptoms reflect high levels of openness to experience. Cluster A disorders appear to be more common than often assumed and have been associated with poor functioning, but there is a lack of treatment research on these disorders.