Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2026
07:30
Brain Morphology of Cannabis Users With or Without Psychosis: A Pilot MRI Study
Published on: August 18, 2020
The DSM should replace maladaptive traits with the five-factor model: Comment on Clark and Watson (2022)
1Department of Psychology, University of Zurich.
Personality Disorders
|July 5, 2022
Summary
This study argues against using maladaptive personality traits for diagnosing personality disorders (PDs). It proposes replacing the current model with a genuine five-factor model for comprehensive patient assessment.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Personality Disorders
Background:
- The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) alternative model for personality disorders (PDs) uses maladaptive traits.
- Watson and Clark suggested improvements to Criterion B of this model.
- The current model assumes personality variation will be represented as maladaptive traits in future iterations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the suitability of using maladaptive traits for diagnosing personality disorders.
- To propose an alternative framework for conceptualizing personality and PDs.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis comparing maladaptive traits with the Five-Factor Model (FFM).
- Critique of the domain structure, range, and stability of maladaptive traits.
Main Results:
- Maladaptive traits are not equivalent to normal-range Five-Factor Model traits.
- Significant differences exist in domain structure, range, and stability.
Conclusions:
- Subtle modifications to the maladaptive trait model for PDs are insufficient.
- A genuine Five-Factor Model should replace the current system.
- The FFM can conceptualize all patients, with or without PD diagnoses.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Trait Theory by Gordon Allport
Gordon Allport, often regarded as the father of American personality psychology, developed a theory that emphasized the importance of understanding people in their present lives rather than focusing on their past, as psychoanalysis did. Allport believed that personality should be studied in healthy, well-adjusted individuals rather than those with psychological problems. He was particularly interested in defining traits, which he saw as fundamental mental structures that guide behavior across...
01:24Cattell's 16 Personality Factors
Raymond Cattell's trait theory offers a structured framework for understanding personality by distinguishing between two critical traits: surface and source traits. Surface traits are observable patterns of behavior, such as indecisiveness, anxiety, and irrational fears. These traits are less stable, varying across situations and over time. This means that they are less helpful in understanding the deeper aspects of an individual's personality.
In contrast, source traits are the fundamental,...
In contrast, source traits are the fundamental,...
01:29Five-Factor Theory of Personality
The five-factor model, often called the Big Five personality traits, is widely accepted in psychology as a comprehensive framework for understanding personality. These five traits — Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism — are often remembered using the acronym OCEAN.
Openness reflects creativity, curiosity, and openness to new experiences. Individuals scoring high in openness are imaginative, have a wide range of interests, and are independent thinkers. Low...
Openness reflects creativity, curiosity, and openness to new experiences. Individuals scoring high in openness are imaginative, have a wide range of interests, and are independent thinkers. Low...
01:29Theoretical Approaches to Psychological Disorder
The development of psychological disorders, which are characterized by deviant, maladaptive, and personally distressing behaviors, has been explored through several theoretical approaches.
Biological approach
The biological approach posits that internal, organic factors are the primary causes of such disorders. This perspective emphasizes brain structure and function, genetic predispositions, and neurotransmitter imbalances. For example, schizophrenia has been associated with both genetic...
Biological approach
The biological approach posits that internal, organic factors are the primary causes of such disorders. This perspective emphasizes brain structure and function, genetic predispositions, and neurotransmitter imbalances. For example, schizophrenia has been associated with both genetic...
01:27Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) serves as the primary classification system for mental health disorders, providing standardized diagnostic criteria for clinicians and researchers. First published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) in 1952, the DSM has undergone several revisions to reflect evolving psychiatric understanding. The fifth edition, DSM-5, released in 2013, introduced key updates that expanded diagnostic categories and modified diagnostic...
01:26Modeling in Therapy
Modeling, a key technique in therapy, uses observational learning to help clients acquire and practice new skills by watching therapists demonstrate desired behaviors. This approach, rooted in Albert Bandura's concept of vicarious learning, plays a significant role in therapeutic interventions for various psychological conditions, including social anxiety, ADHD, and depression.
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in situations...
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in situations...