Abstract

This article examines the possible contribution of behavioral and molecular genetic research to the development of a dimensional classification of personality disorder. It is argued that the results of molecular studies are too preliminary to have immediate nosological significance. However, behavioral genetic methods could play a useful role in constructing a classification that reflects the genetic architecture of personality disorder. It is also argued that the best approach to constructing a valid classification would be to integrate behavioral genetic methods with the construct validation framework used in test construction. An integrative approach is proposed that seeks to combine constructs from alternative dimensional models. It is suggested that strong evidence of a four-dimensional structure to personality disorder provides a way to organize a preliminary model. An initial set of primary traits to define these secondary domains would then be compiled from existing models and refined using a combination of traditional psychometric analyses and behavioral genetic methods. It is concluded that an etiologically based classification is feasible for the DSM-V.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.