Which cluster includes Avoidant, Dependent, and Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorders?

• A. Cluster A
• B. Not assigned
• C. Cluster B
• D. Cluster C

Answer: (D)

This question tests how personality disorders are grouped by shared patterns of traits. Avoidant personality disorder involves social inhibition and fear of rejection; Dependent personality disorder centers on an excessive need to be cared for and submissiveness; Obsessive-Compulsive personality disorder is marked by a preoccupation with order, perfectionism, and control. These common features reflect an anxious and fearful style, which is the defining trait of the cluster that groups these disorders together. The other clusters represent different patterns: one is about odd or eccentric behavior, another about dramatic, emotional, or erratic behavior, and a nonstandard option isn’t used for these disorders. So the best label for these three is the anxious-fearful cluster.