title: Personality-related problems in living: an empirical approach.
abstract: A proposal for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-V) is to separate the diagnosis of mental disorder from the assessment of impairment or disability. A separation of the assessment of traits and impairment is consistent with the five-factor model (FFM) procedure for the diagnosis of a personality disorder, which first assesses for the presence of personality traits, followed by an assessment of impairments associated with a particular trait elevation. The current study tested the hypothesis that the FFM has specific implications with respect to the 3 fundamental components of personality disorder as provided in the American Psychiatric Association's (2000) diagnostic manual, concerning social impairment, occupational impairment, and distress. These hypotheses were confirmed in a sample of 79 persons who were currently or recently in psychological treatment. Implications of the findings for a conceptualization of personality disorder and future research are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA. stephanie.sweatt@gmail.com
authors.forename: Stephanie N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Mullins-Sweatt
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Widiger
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005120:Extraversion, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D010551:Personality; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012919:Social Behavior; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult