Related Words

Personality Disorder: A deeply ingrained and maladjusted pattern of behavior that persists for many years. It is usually well established in later adolescence or early adulthood. The abnormality of behavior is se . . . View Full Definition

Personality: Enduring patterns of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and oneself. Personality traits are prominent aspects of personality that are exhibited in a wide range of im . . . View Full Definition

Conduct Disorder: A condition characterized by a repetitive and persistent pattern of behavior which violates the basic rights of others or major age-appropriate societal norms or rules. A child or teen with . . . View Full Definition

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD): A recurrent pattern of negative, defiant, disobedient and hostile behavior toward authority figures that persists for at least six months. This disorder is characterized by frequent occurren . . . View Full Definition

Schizoaffective Disorder: (skiz-o-a-feck-tiv) A condition that includes symptoms of both schizophrenia and affective (mood) disorder.

Reactive Attachment Disorder: A condition with onset before age 5, resulting from an early lack of consistent care, characterized by a child's or infant's inability to make appropriate social contact with others. Symptom . . . View Full Definition

Polygenic Disorders: Genetic disorders resulting from the combined action of alleles of more than one gene (e.g., heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers). Although such disorders are inherited, they depend on . . . View Full Definition

Polygenic Disorder: Genetic disorder resulting from the combined action of alleles of more than one gene (e.g., heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers). Although such disorders are inherited, they depend on . . . View Full Definition

Separation Anxiety Disorder: A disorder with onset before the age of 18 consisting of inappropriate anxiety concerning separation from home or from persons to whom the child is attached. Among the symptoms that may be s . . . View Full Definition

Single- Gene Disorder: Hereditary disorder caused by a mutant allele of a single gene (e.g., duchenne muscular dystrophy, retinoblastoma, sickle cell disease). Compare polygenic disorders.