Passive-aggressive behavior is universal and is a common way of registering opposing attitudes, especially when they are unequal. A person whose behavior is dominated by this mode of behavior is said to have a passive-aggressive personality. Passive-Aggressive Personality Disorder is known as a present pattern of negative attitudes and passive resistance to conditions for adequate performance.
This disorder usually begins by early adulthood and present in a variety of conditions, as indicated by four (or more) of the following: ontinually resists routine of social and occupational tasks; complains of being misunderstood and unappreciated by others; is irritable and argumentative; unreasonably criticizes and scorns authority; expresses envy and resentment toward those apparently more fortunate; voices exaggerated and persistent complaints of personal misfortune; alternates between hostile defiance and remorse.
A good example of passive-aggressive could be when, let’s say some workers go on a by-the-book slowdown (passive-aggressive), where everything is done recisely by the rules: garbage cans are neatly placed in front of houses; every stray scrap of paper is picked up; the truck is inspected frequently for safe operation. The route doesn’t get completed because of this “care. ” The term passive-aggressive, when used to describe a defense mechanism, refers to indirect resistance to authority, responsibility and obligations. Associated symptoms include complaining, irritability when faced with demands, and general discontent.
Anger is usually expressed indirectly through esistance, delays, losing things; delaying and sabotaging one’s own efforts or those of others. The individual does not intentionally mean to irritate others to oppose authority, like a rebellious teenager would do. Rather, the P-A individual unconsciously acts out his or her anger unintentionally. The treatment of any of the personality disorders is quite difficult, since there is usually little motivation on the patient’s part. For details, you can look up Treating Personality Disorders, edited by David Adler, New Directions for Mental Health, 1990.