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Integrating normal and abnormal personality structure: the Five-Factor Model.

Thomas A Widiger¹, Paul T Costa

¹Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0044, USA. widiger@email.uky.edu

Journal of Personality

|February 11, 2012

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

The conceptualization of personality disorder (PD) is moving towards a dimensional model. The Five-Factor Model (FFM) offers a framework for integrating normal and abnormal personality functioning, aiding in PD classification.

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Area of Science:

Psychology
Psychiatry

Background:

The conceptualization, diagnosis, and classification of personality disorders (PD) are increasingly shifting towards a dimensional model.
The Five-Factor Model (FFM) is proposed as a robust framework for integrating the description and classification of personality functioning.
This approach aims to encompass both normal and abnormal personality traits within a unified structure.

Discussion:

The FFM provides a dimensional perspective for understanding personality disorders.
This framework can potentially enhance the classification of existing personality disorders listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
It also offers a basis for identifying and classifying potential future personality disorders.

Key Insights:

The Five-Factor Model (FFM) offers empirical support for a dimensional approach to personality.
Integrating normal and abnormal personality functioning under the FFM framework can refine PD diagnosis and classification.
A dimensional perspective, particularly using the FFM, presents advantages for understanding the spectrum of personality traits and disorders.

Outlook:

Future research should continue to explore the empirical support for the FFM in personality disorder assessment.
The FFM's dimensional framework may influence future revisions of psychiatric diagnostic systems for personality disorders.
Continued integration of the FFM into personality psychology research will likely advance our understanding of both typical and atypical personality functioning.