Validation of FFM PD counts for screening personality pathology in older adults

Title: Validation of FFM PD counts for screening personality pathology in older adults
Background: There is growing consensus within personality research that the Five-Factor-Model (FFM) of personality has great applicability in exploring the relations between personality disorders (PDs) and general personality functioning. A FFM PD count technique for describing and diagnosing PDs in an adult population was developed by Miller and colleagues (2005). Recently Decuyper and colleagues (2009) replicated this study in an adolescent sample. To date, the applicability of the FFM PD count technique in an elderly sample has not yet been investigated.
Aim: In this ongoing study we want to examine whether the FFM PD count technique proposed by Miller and colleagues (2005) can be used as a valid procedure for PD screening in an older population.
Method: In order to provide normative data and compute PD count benchmarks, the NEO-PI-R will be administered to a sample of approximately 660 community-dwelling older adults. A second sample of 250 participants will fill out the NEO-PI-R as well as a categorical (the Axis II ADP-IV questionnaire) and a dimensional measure of personality pathology (the DAPP-SF).
Results and Discussion: Mean-level scores on different constructs of personality pathology will be compared for elderly who score above and beyond the proposed PD count cut-off scores. These results will be discussed in terms of the generalizability of the PD count technique as a screening tool for personality pathology across age groups.