A dimensional model of personality disorder.
OBJECTIVE
Research planning work-groups sponsored by the American Psychiatric Association have called for the development of a dimensional model of personality disorder for a future edition of the diagnostic manual.


RESULTS
This paper provides a brief summary of current research relevant to the proposal to integrate basic science research on the five-factor model of general personality structure with the diagnosis of personality disorders. Recent studies and the particular advantages of a five-factor model of personality disorder are presented.


CONCLUSIONS
Future editions of diagnostic manuals will move toward a more dimensional model of personality disorder classification. Clinicians will benefit from a greater familiarity with this approach to diagnosis, as researchers continue to develop their validity and clinical utility.
Widiger
Thomas A
TA
Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0044, USA. widiger@uky.edu