Personality and Psychopathology Feminist Reappraisals

Synthesizing decades of feminist thinking, this volume presents original critiques of mainstream theories of personality and psychopathology. Part I examines the limitations that underlie traditional views of human nature, including their lack of accounting for the contextual and structural forces that affect human development. Part II homes in on traditional views of mental health and disorder. Addressing several large categories of psychopathology--depression, schizophrenia, agoraphobia, personality disorders, and trauma--chapters provide a feminist alternative to prevailing conceptualizations. Questioning the very foundations of our ideas about maladaptive behavior, authors argue for building new models that define distress in a more complex, contextual manner. This book presents a pioneering feminist perspective on the theoretical and conceptual foundations of treatment. It is indispensable reading for therapists of all disciplines, and serves as a text for upper-level courses in personality, psychopathology, and the psychology of women.

Laura Brown , University of Washington , and Mary Ballou, Northeastern University