title: The DSM-5 Levels of Personality Functioning and Severity of Iranian Patients With Antisocial and Borderline Personality Disorders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fundamental problems with Personality Disorders (PD) diagnostic system in the previous version of DSM, led to the revision of DSM. Therefore, a multidimensional system has been proposed for diagnosis of personality disorder features in DSM-5. In the dimensional approach of DSM-5, personality disorders diagnosis is based on levels of personality functioning (Criteria A) and personality trait domains (Criteria B).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was firstly, to examine the DSM-5 levels of personality functioning in antisocial and borderline personality disorders, and second, to explore which levels of personality functioning in patients with antisocial and borderline personality disorders can better predicted severity than others.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study had a cross sectional design. The participants consisted of 252 individuals with antisocial (n = 122) and borderline personality disorders (n = 130). They were recruited from Tehran prisoners, and clinical psychology and psychiatry centers of Razi and Taleghani Hospitals, Tehran, Iran. The sample was selected based on judgmental sampling. The SCID-II-PQ, SCID-II and DSM-5 levels of personality functioning were used to diagnose and assess personality disorders. The data were analyzed by correlation and multiple regression analysis. All statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS 16 software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Firstly, it was found that DSM-5 levels of personality functioning have a strong correlation with antisocial and borderline personality symptoms, specially intimacy and self-directedness (P < 0.001). Secondly, the findings showed that identity, intimacy and self-directedness significantly predicted antisocial personality disorder severity (P < 0.0001). The results showed that intimacy and empathy were good predictors of borderline personality disorder severity, as well (P < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, our findings showed that levels of personality functioning are a significant predictor of personality disorders severity. The results partially confirm existing studies.
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amini
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pourshahbaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Parvaneh
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mohammadkhani
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Khodaie Ardakani
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Research Center, Tehran Institute of Psychiatry, School of Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mozhgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lotfi
keywords: Antisocial Personality Disorder; Borderline Personality Disorder; DSM-5; Severity