What are Cluster C traits?

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From the Guidelines

Cluster C personality traits are characterized by anxious, fearful behaviors and include avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality patterns. People with avoidant traits fear rejection and criticism, leading them to avoid social situations despite wanting relationships. Those with dependent traits show excessive neediness, submission to others, and fear of separation. Individuals with obsessive-compulsive traits exhibit perfectionism, inflexibility, and preoccupation with order and control. These traits exist on a spectrum and only constitute a personality disorder when they cause significant distress or functional impairment in daily life. Some key characteristics of Cluster C traits include:

  • Avoidant personality traits: fear of rejection and criticism, social avoidance
  • Dependent personality traits: excessive neediness, submission to others, fear of separation
  • Obsessive-compulsive personality traits: perfectionism, inflexibility, preoccupation with order and control Unlike other mental health conditions, personality traits don't typically respond to medication alone, though certain symptoms like anxiety may benefit from medications such as SSRIs 1. The most effective treatment approach is psychotherapy, particularly cognitive-behavioral therapy, schema therapy, or dialectical behavior therapy, which help individuals recognize maladaptive patterns and develop healthier coping strategies. These traits often develop from childhood experiences and genetic predisposition, with environmental factors playing a significant role in their expression and severity. In clinical practice, it is essential to assess for Cluster C personality traits, especially in patients with late-onset behavioral changes, as they can be common in this population 1. A comprehensive diagnostic approach, including specialized psychiatric assessment and characterization of relational problems, can help identify treatable psychiatric conditions and improve patient outcomes.

From the Research

Cluster C Traits

  • Cluster C traits refer to a group of personality disorders characterized by anxious or fearful behavior [@@].

Key Characteristics

  • However, the provided study 2 does not directly relate to Cluster C traits, as it discusses an outbreak of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis due to adenoviruses types 29 and 8.
  • Cluster C personality disorders typically include avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders.
  • Common traits among these disorders include:
    • Anxiety or fearfulness in social situations
    • Need for control or order
    • Avoidance of certain situations or activities due to fear of criticism or rejection

Relevance of Provided Study

  • The study 2 focuses on the isolation and characterization of adenoviruses types 29 and 8 in an outbreak of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis, and does not provide information on Cluster C traits.
  • As a result, there is limited relevant information from the provided study to assist in answering this question.

References

1
Guideline

Guideline Directed Topic Overview

Dr.Oracle Medical Advisory Board & Editors, 2025

2
Research

A mixed outbreak of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis due to adenoviruses types 29 and 8.

Zentralblatt fur Bakteriologie, Parasitenkunde, Infektionskrankheiten und Hygiene. Erste Abteilung Originale. Reihe A: Medizinische Mikrobiologie und Parasitologie, 1977

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Professional Medical Disclaimer

This information is intended for healthcare professionals. Any medical decision-making should rely on clinical judgment and independently verified information. The content provided herein does not replace professional discretion and should be considered supplementary to established clinical guidelines. Healthcare providers should verify all information against primary literature and current practice standards before application in patient care. Dr.Oracle assumes no liability for clinical decisions based on this content.

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