Center for Personality Disorder Research

Center for Personality Disorder Research (CPDR)

​CPDR is through research and innovention committed to advancing the understanding, classification, assessment, and treatment of personality disorders and related mental disorders. This includes traditional diagnoses such as borderline, avoidant, schizotypal, and narcissistic personality disorders along with related aspects of complex psychotraumatology, dissociation, and the borderland of psychotic-like symptomatology. Most recently we have also initiated research on the ICD-11 classification of personality disorder severity and specification of trait domains, including implementation in clinical practice. We also have a tradition of investigating neurocognitive and socioeconomic aspects of personality disorders.

We seek to facilitate research based on internship, pre-graduate (including master thesis), post-graduate, Ph.D., and post-doctorate projects. 

CPDR serves as local advisor for Region Zealand treatment programs ("Theme-based Cooperation") for personality, anxiety, and depression.

 

Our history and heritage

The Center for Personality Disorder Research (CPDR) exists in continuation of a long tradition of personality disorder research in Denmark under the leadership of Professor Erik Simonsen.

Our history can be traced back to a study group on Millon’s theory of personality disorder in the 1980s, which was initiated by Niels Strandbygaard, a psychiatrist at Slagelse General Hospital. This enterprise was carried on by Erik Simonsen who together with Theodore Millon established the International Society for the Study of Personality Disorders (ISSPD) at its first International Congress in Copenhagen, in 1988.

This local pioneering work has facilitated a growing international exchange between American and European mental health professionals and researchers, which remain an important part of our collaborative network in CPDR. In the wake of these activities, Professor Erik Simonsen has served as President of the ISSPD, has founded the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) Section on Personality Disorders, and has chaired the WPA/ISSPD Educational Program on Personality Disorders. Professor Simonsen (in collaboration with Thomas A. Widiger) was later entrusted by the NIMH, the WHO, and the APA to take the lead in preparing the grounds for a reclassification of PD (see Widiger & Simonsen, 2005). ​