Schizotypal Personality Disorder
Prevalence
The prevalence of schizotypal personality disorder in clinical populations seems to be infrequent (0%-1.9%).
Schizotypal personality disorder may be first apparent in childhood and adolescence with solitariness, poor peer relationships, social anxiety, underachievement in school, hypersensitivity, peculiar thoughts and language, and bizarre fantasies.
Risk factors
Genetic Factors
Schizotypal personality disorder appears to aggregate familially and is more prevalent among the first degree biological relatives of individuals with schizophrenia than among the general population.
Symptoms
Individuals with schizotypal personality disorder often seek treatment for the associated symptoms of anxiety or depression rather than for the personality disorder features per se.
Pervasive pattern of social and interpersonal deficits marked by acute discomfort with, and reduced capacity for, close relationships as well as by cognitive or perceptual distortions and eccentricities of behavior.
Incorrect interpretations of casual incidents and external events as having a particular and unusual meaning specifically for the person.
Odd beliefs or magical thinking that influences behavior and is inconsistent with subcultural norms.
Perceptual alterations (e.g., sensing that another person is present or hearing a voice murmuring his or her name).
Odd thinking, behavior and speech.
Suspiciousness or paranoid ideation (e.g., believing their colleagues at work are intent on undermining their reputation with the boss).
Lack of close friends or confidants other than first-degree relatives.
Anxiety in social situations, particularly those involving unfamiliar people.