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Review
. 2021 Feb:37:121-128.
doi: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2020.12.003. Epub 2020 Dec 15.

Perinatal foundations of personality pathology from a dynamical systems perspective

Parisa R Kaliush  1 , Mengyu Miranda Gao  2 , Robert D Vlisides-Henry  2 , Leah R Thomas  2 , Jonathan E Butner  2 , Elisabeth Conradt  3 , Sheila E Crowell  4
Affiliations
Review

Perinatal foundations of personality pathology from a dynamical systems perspective

Parisa R Kaliush et al. Curr Opin Psychol. 2021 Feb.

Abstract

The development of personality pathology is an interactive process between biologically based susceptibilities, interpersonal patterns, and contextual factors across the lifespan. In this paper, we argue that these interactions begin before birth. We describe the perinatal period (i.e. pregnancy and up to one year postpartum) as a sensitive developmental window during which regulatory and stress response systems that confer risk for personality pathology begin forming. In addition, we present converging evidence for significant associations between perinatal factors and later life personality disorders. Finally, we present this perinatal perspective through the lens of dynamical systems theory and emphasize the promise of this framework for guiding future personality disorder research, prevention, and intervention.

Keywords: Developmental programming; Dynamic systems; Perinatal; Personality; Personality disorders.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest statement Nothing declared.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Hypothetical phase portrait in which area A represents a repellor and area B represents an attractor. Area C represents the metaphorical start of cellular specialization during fetal development, as outlined by an epigenetics systems view.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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