title: Can DSM-IV borderline personality disorder be diagnosed via dimensional personality traits? Implications for the DSM-5 personality disorder proposal.
abstract: The proposal for the diagnosis of personality disorders (PDs) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5;American Psychiatric Association, in preparation) involves, in part, the use of elevated scores on dimensional personality traits. For instance, the diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (BPD) in the DSM-5 will require evidence of self- and interpersonal impairment as well as elevated scores on traits of emotional lability, anxiousness, separation insecurity, depressivity, impulsivity, risk taking, and hostility. Using a sample of individuals from the community (N = 134), half of whom were receiving psychiatric treatment, we tested whether the summation of relevant personality trait scores, using data derived from a measure of the Five-Factor Model of personality (FFM), would result in a construct that corresponds to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed. (DSM-IV, American Psychiatric Association, 2000) BPD construct as scored by expert consensus ratings. The DSM-IV and FFM BPD scores were significantly correlated (r = .60) and generated highly similar patterns of relations (ricc = .84) with key constructs from BPD's nomological network. These data should serve to allay concerns that the DSM-5's new diagnostic approach will be detrimental to the identification of BPD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Georgia.
authors.forename: Joshua D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
authors.forename: Jennifer Q
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Morse
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
authors.forename: Kimberly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nolf
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
authors.forename: Stephanie D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Stepp
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Pilkonis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D010552:Personality Assessment