Substance-Related & Personality Disorders:
Diagnosis and Treatment Considerations
Program Description
The presence of personality disorders complicates the treatment of substance-related disorders in a variety of
settings. Even the presence of personality traits will often diminish the effectiveness of treatment when staff
does not clarify for the client the importance of these character defects in a therapeutic manner. This one-day
presentation will examine the relationship of co-existing personality and substance-related disorders to client
involvement and compliance in substance abuse services.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this workshop, participants should be able to:
1. Review the clinical implications of co-existing substance-related and personality disorders when
delivering substance abuse services;
2. Discriminate from identified “clusters” of personality disorders specific behaviors attributed to
those clusters and behaviors that are a normal and expected part of substance abuse treatment;
3. Recognize the difference between personality traits and the clinical criteria that warrant
consideration of a personality disorder;
4. Discuss clinical intervention techniques that are relevant for effective services when working with
this population;
5. Explore personal attitudes that inhibit effective services to this client population.
Target Audience
Mental health and substance abuse clinicians (social workers, psychologists, counselors, and nurses etc.) and
other interested healthcare providers.
Contact Hours
6 hours
Program Agenda
8:00 AM
Clinical Implications of Co-existing Substance-related Personality Disorders when delivering
substance abuse services
10:15 AM
Break
10:30 AM
Identify “clusters” of personality disorder specific behaviors attributed to those clusters and
behaviors that are a normal and expected part of substance abuse treatment
12 Noon
Lunch
1:00 PM
Difference between personality traits and the clinical criteria that warrant consideration of a
personality disorder
Clinical intervention techniques that are relevant for effective services when working with this
population
2:30 PM
Break
2:45 PM
Personal attitudes that inhibit effective services to this client population
3:30 PM
Adjournment
Faculty
L. Worth Bolton, ACSW, LCAS, CCS, currently serves at the School of Social Work’s Behavioral Health
Care Resource Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as Clinical Assistant Professor for
graduate students in Substance Abuse Certificate Program and trainer/consultant to community mental health
and social services programs to implement Welfare Reform legal mandates statewide via contract with the NC
Department of Health and Human services, Division of Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities/Substance
Abuse Services.