Product Review

This well-documented and articulate manual gathers in one place the psychodynamic psychotherapy thinking and research on each of the Axis II personality disorders. Psychodynamic Psychotherapy for Personality Disorders: A Clinical Handbook includes the work of 22 contributing writers in addition to the three primary authors, John F. Clarkin, Ph.D., Peter Fonagy, Ph.D., and Glen O. Gabbard, M.D. Each contributor has extensive clinical experience, and some also have research experience, with the assessment and treatment of specific personality disorders. The focus of the book is the psychodynamic conceptualization, assessment, and treatment of the personality disorders as currently described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The 16 chapters are divided into sections that address the definition of personality pathology, approaches to treatment, and research for future directions. The authors conclude that to the surprise of many new research and reviews indicate that psychodynamic treatments are effective for personality disorders, and their impact is as great as that of cognitive-behavioral treatments.