ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with the assessment of the latter for clinical and forensic purposes, and while some of the aims of and procedures for detecting personality problems may be similar between occupational and clinical psychologists. It considers identification and management of the potential risk associated with clinical personality disorders and aspects of related psychopathology. The chapter provides an overview of psychopathology and the basic concept of personality disorders. Personality problems and disorders have been linked historically to unsafe acts in aviation, and on occasion, these have been catastrophic resulting in the loss of life. In the field of mental health, personality problems that are of a magnitude to impair everyday functioning are deemed to be symptomatic of personality disorder. Personality disorders usually become noticeable in adolescent or early adulthood. Personality disorder is common in the general population yet rarely diagnosed. Probably only individuals with very severe personality disorder are formally diagnosed as personality disordered in the average mental health clinic.
