The Association started in 1983 as a networking event and cocktail party for personality disorder researchers.

As time went on we expanded the networking event to a dinner with an expert speaker which took place at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association (APA). Currently the society holds a reception on the Saturday of the APA annual meeting and continues educational activities such as APA symposiums.

For a number of years we also added a day long educational event on the Saturday at the beginning of the APA week which has received excellent reviews.(This is not a current activity.)

Each year the ARPD presents a symposium as part of the official APA  educational presentations.  These have also had had very good reviews.


The ARPD has performed surveys and published information relevant to the DSM diagnostic process.

In addition, we have in the past run educational programs at Stanford Medical School.