Schizotypal personality disorder is characterized by oddities of appearance, behavior, and speech, unusual perceptual experiences, and thinking anomalies similar to schizophrenia. Which feature is also possible?

• A. Paranoid personality disorder
• B. Narcissistic personality disorder
• C. Schizotypal personality disorder
• D. Borderline personality disorder

Answer: (C)

Schizotypal personality disorder lies on the schizophrenia spectrum, so it can include psychotic-like features alongside the oddities described. Beyond odd appearance, behavior, and speech, people with this pattern may have unusual perceptual experiences and thinking that is distorted or magical in nature. They may also have suspiciousness or ideas of reference, where ordinary events are interpreted in personal, unusual ways. This combination of eccentric, socially anxious behavior with perceptual or thinking abnormalities is characteristic of schizotypal PD, and it explains why this option is the best fit. The other disorders listed involve different patterns—pervasive distrust without psychotic-like experiences (paranoid), grandiosity and need for admiration (narcissistic), or intense fear of abandonment with mood instability (borderline)—which do not align with the described features.