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Personality functioning as generalized correlated changes in personality traits.

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This study differentiates personality functioning (PF) from personality traits using longitudinal data. Results show PF, akin to psychological health, predicts symptom reduction better than trait changes.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Personality Psychology

Background:

  • Contemporary personality disorder diagnosis differentiates personality functioning (PF) from personality traits.
  • Research on core differences between PF and personality traits is limited by reliance on cross-sectional data.
  • Longitudinal data is crucial for understanding dynamic changes in personality.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the distinctness of personality functioning (PF) and personality traits using longitudinal data.
  • To examine how changes in PF and personality traits relate to reductions in personality disorder symptoms over time.
  • To determine if PF can be conceptually and empirically distinguished from personality traits.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized 10 years of longitudinal data from the Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study (N = 733).
  • Applied a continuous time model to Five-Factor Model personality trait facets.
  • Parsed general correlated change and change attributable to Five-Factor Model domains.

Main Results:

  • A general change factor, highly similar to psychological health, was identified.
  • This general change factor explained more variance in personality disorder symptom reductions than trait change factors.
  • Evidence supports the distinction between PF and personality traits.

Conclusions:

  • Personality functioning (PF) is distinct from personality traits and represents a key aspect of psychological health.
  • Features of PF can be identified within the change processes of personality trait assessments.
  • Future research should employ designs sensitive to the theoretical differences between PF and personality traits.