Personality Traits in the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD-11)

The International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD-11) officially adopted a dimensional system of personality disorder that was a paradigm shift for the classification of personality disorders. The purpose of this article is to review the growing amount of research on one component of that system - the personality trait domain model. Importantly, several self-report measures have been developed to measure the ICD-11 domains and have been subjected to initial validation through examination of their factor structure, multimethod use, convergent and discriminant validity with other prominent dimensional personality models (such as the Five-Factor Model), and criterion validity for important life outcomes.

Studies indicate the ICD-11 domains align with the Five-Factor Model and prior influential models of dimensional personality traits, as expected, and thus rest on an impressive body of empirical research. They also capture large amounts of variance included in the ICD-10/Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition Section II personality disorders.

Together these findings support the construct validity of the ICD-11 trait domains. However, continued validation research is necessary, as well as research on how to implement these domains into clinical practice, and research on the more specific facet-level of the trait domains - although the ICD-11 model is only officially at the domain-level.