Which group of personality disorders includes avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive types?

• A. Cluster C personality disorders (anxious, fearful)
• B. Cluster A personality disorders
• C. Cluster B personality disorders
• D. Anxiety disorders

Answer: (A)

These disorders come from a group characterized by anxious, fearful patterns of thinking and behaving. Avoidant personality involves social inhibition and hypersensitivity to rejection; dependent personality features an excessive need to be cared for and fear of separation; obsessive-compulsive personality includes a preoccupation with order, perfectionism, and control. Together, these reflect a common anxious-fearful style that shapes how individuals relate to others and handle daily life.

This cluster is distinct from the others: the first group includes odd or eccentric patterns (paranoid, schizoid, schizotypal), while the second group includes dramatic or erratic patterns (antisocial, borderline, histrionic, narcissistic). Anxiety disorders are separate categories, though they can co-occur with personality disorders.