The Existence, Causes and Solutions of Gender Bias in the Diagnosis of Personality Disorders

The degree to which gender bias is present in the clinical diagnosis of personality disorders has been a subject of substantial interest in the realm of clinical psychology. This review explores the existence, causes and solutions of gender bias in the diagnosis of personality disorders. The existence and causes of gender bias within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and various diagnostic tools is first examined through the lens of social constructivism as well as through critically analyzing various past studies on the topic. This revealed a significant finding: that gender bias is, in fact, present in both the DSM criteria itself as well as within various other diagnostic measures. In addition, extant research showing that clinicians themselves are not immune to gender bias is critically examined. Finally, a variety of options that may help decrease the impact of gender bias in the diagnosis of personality disorders are briefly reviewed