A dimensional model of personality disorder: incorporating DSM Cluster A characteristics

J Abnorm Psychol. 2008 May;117(2):454-9. doi: 10.1037/0021-843X.117.2.454.

Abstract

The authors articulate an expanded dimensional model of personality pathology to better account for symptoms of DSM-defined Cluster A personality disorders. Two hundred forty participants (98 first-degree relatives of probands with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, 92 community control participants, and 50 first-degree relatives of probands with bipolar disorder) completed a dimensional personality pathology questionnaire, a measure of schizotypal characteristics, and Chapman measures of psychosis proneness. Scales from all questionnaires were subjected to an exploratory factor analysis with varimax rotation. A 5-factor structure of personality pathology emerged from the analyses, with Peculiarity forming an additional factor to the common 4-factor structure of personality pathology (consisting of Introversion, Emotional Dysregulation, Antagonism, and Compulsivity). These results support a 5-factor dimensional model of personality pathology that better accounts for phenomena encompassed by the Cluster A personality disorders in DSM-IV-TR (4th ed., text revised; American Psychiatric Association, 2000). This study has implications for the consideration of a dimensional model of personality disorder in DSM-V by offering a more comprehensive structural model that builds on previous work in this area.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Bipolar Disorder / diagnosis
  • Bipolar Disorder / genetics
  • Bipolar Disorder / psychology*
  • Cognition Disorders / diagnosis
  • Cognition Disorders / genetics
  • Cognition Disorders / psychology
  • Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Models, Statistical
  • Personality Assessment / statistics & numerical data*
  • Personality Disorders / diagnosis
  • Personality Disorders / genetics
  • Personality Disorders / psychology*
  • Psychometrics / statistics & numerical data
  • Psychotic Disorders / diagnosis
  • Psychotic Disorders / genetics
  • Psychotic Disorders / psychology*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Schizophrenia / diagnosis*
  • Schizophrenia / genetics
  • Schizophrenic Psychology*
  • Schizotypal Personality Disorder / diagnosis
  • Schizotypal Personality Disorder / genetics
  • Schizotypal Personality Disorder / psychology