HPD HPD Recovery and Coping Strategies 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which psychotherapy approach is considered the first-line treatment for HPD?
- Pharmacotherapy alone
- Psychodynamic or cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy (Correct answer)
- Inpatient hospitalization
- Group therapy exclusively
Correct answer: Psychodynamic or cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy
Psychodynamic therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy are both considered first-line psychotherapy approaches for HPD.
Question 2: In CBT for HPD, a primary therapeutic goal is helping the client:
- Eliminate all emotional expression
- Identify and challenge core beliefs about needing constant attention to be worthwhile (Correct answer)
- Increase social media use to practice social skills
- Develop more seductive social strategies
Correct answer: Identify and challenge core beliefs about needing constant attention to be worthwhile
CBT for HPD targets the core belief that one must be constantly entertaining or attractive to be valued, replacing it with more balanced self-worth.
Question 3: A key challenge in treating HPD is that clients may attempt to turn the therapeutic relationship into:
- A purely intellectual exercise
- A vehicle for attention-seeking and drama rather than genuine self-exploration (Correct answer)
- A medication management appointment
- An academic tutorial
Correct answer: A vehicle for attention-seeking and drama rather than genuine self-exploration
HPD clients often resist genuine self-exploration and instead use therapy sessions as another stage for performing and seeking the therapist's admiration.
Question 4: Which therapeutic technique is particularly useful in helping HPD clients develop more genuine emotional depth?
- Systematic desensitization
- Mentalization-based therapy focusing on understanding internal states (Correct answer)
- Exposure and response prevention
- Motivational interviewing exclusively
Correct answer: Mentalization-based therapy focusing on understanding internal states
Mentalization-based therapy (MBT) helps HPD clients develop more genuine understanding of their own and others' internal mental states.
Question 5: For individuals with HPD, which self-help skill most directly addresses the core attention-seeking pattern?
- Developing tolerance for not being the center of attention through mindfulness (Correct answer)
- Increasing social activities to gain more attention
- Practicing seductive communication more strategically
- Avoiding all social interactions
Correct answer: Developing tolerance for not being the center of attention through mindfulness
Mindfulness-based practices help HPD individuals develop distress tolerance and sit with the discomfort of not being the center of attention.
Question 6: Medication for HPD is typically prescribed to:
- Cure the personality disorder directly
- Address specific comorbid symptoms such as depression, anxiety, or mood instability (Correct answer)
- Reduce the desire for social attention
- Replace psychotherapy entirely
Correct answer: Address specific comorbid symptoms such as depression, anxiety, or mood instability
No medication treats HPD directly, but pharmacotherapy targets comorbid symptoms like depression, anxiety, or mood instability.
HPD HPD Recovery and Coping Strategies 1
Which psychotherapy approach is considered the first-line treatment for HPD?