Schizoid personality disorder is one of the most interesting, but also one of the least well known personality disorders. The concept of schizoidism has had a varied history, starting with schizophrenia and touching on other clinical problem areas such as schizotypy, autism spectrum disorders, avoidance of attachment, and lack of empathy in psychopathy. People with schizoidism are extremely reluctant to engage in intensive interpersonal relationships and to experience stronger emotions, and instead place strong importance on their own independence, rationality and ego functions. In addition to presenting the origins of the concept and findings from empirical research, this volume focuses on differential diagnoses, on the psychodynamics of schizoid patients and their often impressive creativity in a case-related way, as well as on the psychotherapeutic options and treatment difficulties.

PD Dr. med. Dipl.-Psych. Gerhard Dammann ist Ärztlicher Direktor der Psychiatrischen Dienste Thurgau und der Psych. Klinik Münsterlingen (Schweiz). Prof. Dr. med. Otto F. Kernberg ist Direktor des Personality Disorders Institute des New York Presbyterian Hospital, USA, und war Präsident der Internationalen Psychoanalytischen Vereinigung. Mit Beiträgen von: Gerhard Dammann, Otto F. Kernberg, Bernhard Grimmer, Isa Sammet, Cord Benecke, Anna Buchheim, Benigna Gerisch, Harald Gündel, Helene Haker Rössler, Miriam Henkel, Hans-Peter Kapfhammer, Fritz Lackinger, Steffen Müller, Heinz Weiß und Corinna Wernz.

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