Personality disorder dysfunction versus traits: Structural and conceptual issues

As it stands now, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5; AmericanPsychiatric Association, in press) will maintain the categorical model and criteria distinguishing the 10personality disorders (PDs) described in the fourth edition of the manual (DSM–IV; American PsychiatricAssociation, 1994). An alternative diagnostic proposal based on two criteria, being impaired personalityfunctioning and the presence of maladaptive traits, will be referred to a special section for further researchand clinical evaluation. Two issues pertaining to this alternative diagnostic approach need furtherclarification. First, more insight is required in the specific nature of personality dysfunction, itsunderlying structure, and optimal operationalization. Second, confusion still exists about how personalitydysfunction and traits are interconnected and how they both contribute to the PD diagnosis. The currentstudy addresses both issues empirically in a sample of 159 psychiatric patients by (a) investigating thestructure of personality functioning as assessed by the Severity Indices of Personality Problems (SIPP-118), and (b) determining the incremental validity of the resulting dysfunction factors vis-a`-vis traitdomains (measured by the NEO Personality Inventory–Revised [NEO-PI-R]) in explaining DSM–IV PDvariance. Trait and dysfunction dimensions were strongly correlated but showed significant, thoughlimited, incremental validity above each other. Implications for the conceptualization of personalitypathology are discussed.

Publication year:2013

IOF-keylabel:yes

BOF-publication weight:6

CSS-citation score:2

Authors from:Higher Education

Accessibility:Closed