Strong preoccupation with details, rules, lists, schedules or organisation to the point of losing sight of the main goal.
DSM-5-TR · Cluster C · personality disorder
Could I have obsessive-compulsive personality disorder?
Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder is characterised by a persistent preoccupation with order, perfectionism and control, often at the expense of flexibility and sometimes efficiency. Having some of these traits does not mean that someone has a personality disorder: DSM-5-TR requires an enduring, pervasive and clinically significant pattern.
Cluster CAnxious, fearful or controlling/dependent patterns
4/8
DSM-5-TR
What are the DSM-5-TR features?
DSM-5-TR requires at least 4 of the 8 specific features, together with the general requirements for a personality disorder.
Specific criteria — paraphrased
Perfectionism that slows or prevents completion of tasks.
Excessive devotion to work and productivity at the expense of leisure and relationships, without financial necessity explaining it.
Excessive conscientiousness, scrupulousness or rigidity about morality, ethics or values.
Difficulty discarding worn-out or worthless objects even without sentimental attachment.
Difficulty delegating or working with others unless they follow one’s exact way of doing things.
A very miserly approach to spending for oneself and others, viewing money as something to preserve for future needs.
Marked rigidity and stubbornness.
Diagnostic reference: DSM-5-TR (American Psychiatric Association, 2022). The wording above is intentionally concise and paraphrased.
The specific criteria are not sufficient on their own
- The pattern is enduring, inflexible and present across different contexts — not only during a crisis or in one particular relationship.
- It causes significant distress or impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning.
- The pattern is stable over time and can be traced back at least to adolescence or early adulthood.
- It is not better explained by another mental disorder, a substance/medication effect or a medical condition.
Differential diagnosis
Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder or OCD?
OCD involves intrusive obsessions and/or repetitive compulsions that are experienced as difficult to control. In obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, the central issue is an enduring style of perfectionism, order and control, often experienced as consistent with the person’s preferred way of functioning.
Clinical assessment
How is the diagnosis made?
Diagnosis is not based on a checklist or a single questionnaire. It requires clinical interviewing, review of the person’s long-term pattern and functional impact across settings, and differential diagnosis. Personality questionnaires and tests can support that assessment.
The 10 specific DSM-5-TR personality disorders
Explore the other personality disorders
Personality disorders can share features and sometimes overlap, making differential diagnosis essential.
Are you wondering about your personality functioning?
An emotional and personality assessment can compare several hypotheses, clarify the overall pattern and avoid drawing conclusions from a few isolated traits.
