Date of Submission

2011

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Department

Psychology

Department Chair

Robert A DiTomasso, PhD, ABPP, Chair, Department of Psychology

First Advisor

Bruce Zahn, EdD, ABPP, Chairperson

Second Advisor

Donald Masey, PsyD

Third Advisor

John Grisbacher, PsyD

Abstract

This study examined whether behavioral disturbances in obsessive compulsive personality disorder and borderline personality disorder were related to executive functioning. An archival database was used; this consisted of 104 subjects who had been given the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III (MCMI-III) and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) at a local neuropsychology practice. Comparisons in executive functioning abilities were made between groups of subjects identified as reporting obsessive compulsive personality disorder traits or borderline personality disorder traits, and also between groups of subjects identified as reporting both obsessive compulsive personality traits and borderline personality traits. Findings concluded that a relationship does not exist between personality traits and executive functioning. Although the study‟s findings revealed no statistically significant results, the study generated significant discussion points pertinent to future research.

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