Clinical application of the five-factor model

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Psychiatry
• Personality Science

Background:

• The Five-Factor Model (FFM) is the leading dimensional model of general personality structure.
• Personality disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) can be conceptualized as extreme variants of the FFM.
• The proposed DSM-5 shifts towards a dimensional trait model for personality disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a clinical application of the Five-Factor Model (FFM).
• To highlight the alignment between the FFM and the evolving conceptualization of personality disorders in the DSM.
• To discuss the advantages of this FFM-based approach for clinical practice, particularly in treatment planning.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of research linking the FFM to personality disorders.
• Analysis of the proposed dimensional trait model in DSM-5.
• Conceptual analysis of clinical applications and treatment planning.

Main Results:

• A substantial body of research supports understanding personality disorders as maladaptive variants of the FFM.
• The DSM-5 proposal increasingly incorporates a dimensional, FFM-aligned trait model.
• This conceptual shift offers potential benefits for clinical utility.

Conclusions:

• The FFM provides a robust framework for understanding personality pathology.
• The integration of the FFM into the DSM framework enhances diagnostic clarity and clinical utility.
• Adopting an FFM-based approach can improve treatment planning for personality disorders.