Behavioral abnormality Impairment in personality functioning 2017-09-17T16:30:45Z The emergence of the self in childhood and adolescence is based on experience and perception, which then becomes organized into identity, which organizes further experience and perception. Identity is related to the individual's selfsameness and continuity in time. A maladaptive personality trait characterized by moderate or greater impairment in personality (self /interpersonal) functioning. peter