Original Articles
Vol. 4 (2026)
https://doi.org/10.4081/mw.2026.41

Personality pathology and structure among prisoners based on Kernberg’s model

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Published: 7 April 2026
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Personality disorders, prisoners, personality assessment

Authors

Mojtaba Rakhshani
Department of Clinical Psychology, School of Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Zahedan Branch, Iran, Islamic Republic of.
Rashya Kasaeiyan
rashyakasaeian@gmail.com
Faculty of Education and Psychology, Shiraz University, Iran, Islamic Republic of.

This study examined the prevalence of personality styles and disorders (PSDs) and their association with dimensions of personality organization, based on Kernberg’s model, among 97 male prisoners in Zahedan, Iran. The most prevalent PSD was antisocial personality disorder (25.8%), followed by schizoid, narcissistic, schizotypal, and negativistic (passive-aggressive) types, while depressive personality disorder was the least common (10.3%). Pearson correlation and regression analyses revealed that certain PSDs, specifically passive-aggressive, dependent, borderline, and depressive types, were significantly correlated with the subdomains of personality organization, including reality testing, primitive defenses, and identity diffusion. Notably, depressive personality disorder was a significant predictor for disturbances in reality testing and primitive defenses, while dependent and depressive types predicted greater identity diffusion. Antisocial, paranoid, schizoid, avoidant, obsessive-compulsive, schizotypal, rhapsodic, narcissistic, histrionic, and altruistic PSDs showed no significant associations with personality organization dimensions. These findings highlight both the high prevalence and the heterogeneity of PSDs among inmates and demonstrate that specific PSDs are related to structural aspects of personality organization, underscoring the importance of dimensional assessment for clinical intervention and rehabilitation planning in correctional settings.

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1.
Personality pathology and structure among prisoners based on Kernberg’s model. Mental Wellness [Internet]. 2026 Apr. 7 [cited 2026 Apr. 8];4. Available from: https://www.mental-wellness-journal.net/mw/article/view/41
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