Bill Eddy, LCSW, JD (attorney, mediator, clinical social worker, and kindergarten teacher), joined with Randi Kreger (co-author of “Stop Walking on Eggshells”) to produce a fully revised and updated second edition of “Splitting,” published in July. Who may be impacted? The authors note that, reading the 5th edition of the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association” (DSM-5), published in 2013, one concludes: “The DSM-5 states that approximately 15 percent of adults in the United States meet the criteria for a personality disorder (APA, 2012, 646), which is equal to or greater than the percentage of adults with a substance abuse disorder.”

The first edition of “Splitting” was published in 2011. The most significant changes in the 2nd edition are details about dealing with anti-social personalities as well as the addition of a new chapter, “Presenting Your Case.” Eddy and Kreger note that in addition to seeing divorce cases complicated by individuals with borderline and narcissistic personalities, there appear to be more cases involving individuals with anti-social personality disorder. Further, the means of checking on families where domestic violence is an issue were complicated by COVID. Moreover, courts might excuse aberrant behavior as situational or inappropriately allow blame to be shifted to the (more) reasonable parent.