The aversive interpersonal behaviors associated with pathological personality traits

Although interpersonal dysfunction is a defining feature of personality disorders (PDs), relatively little is known about how features of PD are perceived by others. In the current study, students (n = 225) reported on the traits and aversive interpersonal behaviors of individuals with pathological personality features. Aversive behaviors were measured using the Interpersonal Sensitivity Circumplex, and pathological personality features were assessed using the DSM-5 Section 3 traits. The structural summary method for circumplex data was used to evaluate how pathological traits related to both general and specific aversive behaviors. Most traits associated with PDs were related to general aversive behaviors. Specific associations suggested that young adults are most irritated when individuals with personality pathology try to form or sustain attachments, as opposed to control, withdraw, or submit to them. These results are consistent with the assumption that personality pathology is broadly characterized by aversive behaviors and imply that individuals are most bothered by maladaptive attempts by others to become or stay connected.