American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) Practice Exam

The correct choice emphasizes that social functioning and adaptive behavior are key characteristics of personality disorders. Individuals with personality disorders often exhibit enduring patterns of behavior, cognition, and inner experiences that significantly diverge from cultural expectations, leading to difficulties in social interactions and day-to-day functioning.

These disorders can impact an individual’s ability to maintain healthy relationships, adapt to social norms, and cope with life's challenges effectively. This maladaptive behavior often begins in adolescence or early adulthood and manifests in various contexts, which can hinder social and occupational functioning.

In contrast, psychotic disorders primarily involve disturbances in perception and thought processes, such as hallucinations and delusions, which can significantly disrupt one’s social functioning but do not inherently focus on adaptive behavior in the same way personality disorders do. Mood disorders, while impactful on how individuals feel and interact, do not specifically emphasize maladaptive personality traits. Dissociative disorders are characterized by disruptions in consciousness and identity but also do not center around persistent maladaptive behavior in social contexts like personality disorders do.