A taxonomic reconceptualisation of personality disorders: personality dimensions and level of dysfunction

The current project makes a valuable contribution to the development of the authoritative diagnostic taxonomy, DSM, by elaborating and empirically validating a dimensional model of personality disorders. Specific attention goes out to the dimensions of personality and dysfunction. Prototypes based on the lower-order structure of the Five Factor Model (FFM) can appropriately describe the specific DSM-IV-TR Axis II categories in terms of adaptive and maladaptive personality traits. However, the existing prototypes do not capture the entire variation in personality disorders, which clearly indicates the need for a more encompassing FFM classification. Moreover, recent research has demonstrated the importance of a dimensional dysfunction model, but a solid theory that systematically describes dysfunction is not yet available. Therefore, a recently proposed approach to dysfunction, based on two dimensions (non-coping and non-cooperativeness), will be empirically validated.