Personality disorder traits: Testing insight regarding presence of traits, impairment, and desire for change

Mixed findings exist as to whether personality pathology involves a critical lack of awareness and insight. Research questions about insight and awareness in personality pathology are typically assessed via comparing self and informant reports of traits. However, recent studies have measured insight by asking individuals to evaluate additional questions about impairment and desire to change. The present study uses a variety of approaches to examine these issues including investigations of convergence between self and informant reports (N = 197 dyads; correlations and comparisons of means) of personality psychopathology, desired trait levels, and perceptions of impairment. Convergence was observed between levels of self- and informant-reported traits, desired traits, and impairment. However, individuals rated themselves higher on pathological trait levels and impairment than did their informants. Furthermore, individuals with relatively higher pathological traits desired higher levels of these traits (but lower than their actual scores) than individuals with lower scores; on the actual measurement scale, however, these higher scorers rated their desired level below the neutral point. Overall, individuals with pathological personality traits possess a reasonable degree of insight into their actual trait levels and associated impairment.

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Antagonism-related PDs Insight & Impairment 11.13.18

10.31234/osf.io/597h4 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Chelsea Sleep ◽

Josh Miller ◽

Donald Lynam ◽

William Keith Campbell

Keyword(s):

Personality Disorder ◽

Clinical Symptoms ◽

Empirical Work ◽

Clinical Theory ◽

Reasonable Degree ◽

Two Samples ◽

Insight Into ◽

Related Personality

Clinical theory is skeptical of individuals’ ability to recognize the presence, severity, and impact of clinical symptoms and pathological traits (Oltmanns & Powers, 2012); however, empirical work has found moderate self-other convergence for reports of pathological traits and for Antagonism-related personality disorder (PD) constructs (i.e., psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism), which are characterized by low insight. Nevertheless, empirical examinations of insight into perceptions of impairment is scant. Thus, the present study sought to examine individuals’ insight regarding pathological traits and related impairment in two samples. In Sample 1, more psychopathic, narcissistic, and Machiavellian individuals reported higher levels of pathological traits and were aware of related impairment. In Sample 2, individuals reported higher levels of pathological traits and, albeit to a lesser degree, more Antagonism-related impairment. Thus, more psychopathic, narcissistic, and Machiavellian individuals possess a reasonable degree of insight into their trait levels and associated impairment.

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Insight Regarding the Presence of Antagonism-Related Traits and Their Subsequent Impairment in Relation to Psychopathy, Narcissism, and Machiavellianism

Journal of Personality Disorders ◽

10.1521/pedi_2019_33_422 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 1-16 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Chelsea E. Sleep ◽

Donald R. Lynam ◽

W. Keith Campbell ◽

Joshua D. Miller

Keyword(s):

Personality Disorder ◽

Clinical Symptoms ◽

Empirical Work ◽

Clinical Theory ◽

Reasonable Degree ◽

Two Samples ◽

Insight Into ◽

Related Personality

Clinical theory is skeptical of individuals’ ability to recognize the presence, severity, and impact of clinical symptoms and pathological traits (Oltmanns & Powers, 2012); however, empirical work has found moderate self–other convergence for reports of pathological traits and for Antagonism-related personality disorder (PD) constructs (i.e., psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism), which are characterized by low insight. Nevertheless, empirical examinations of insight into perceptions of impairment are scant. Thus, the present study sought to examine individuals’ insight regarding pathological traits and related impairment in two samples. In Sample 1, more psychopathic, narcissistic, and Machiavellian individuals reported higher levels of pathological traits and were aware of related impairment. In Sample 2, individuals reported higher levels of pathological traits and, albeit to a lesser degree, more Antagonism-related impairment. Thus, more psychopathic, narcissistic, and Machiavellian individuals possess a reasonable degree of insight into their trait levels and associated impairment.

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Insight regarding the presence of antagonism-related traits and their subsequent impairment in relation to psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism

10.31234/osf.io/vrcng ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Chelsea Sleep ◽

Josh Miller ◽

Donald Lynam ◽

William Keith Campbell

Keyword(s):

Personality Disorder ◽

Clinical Symptoms ◽

Empirical Work ◽

Clinical Theory ◽

Reasonable Degree ◽

Two Samples ◽

Insight Into ◽

Related Personality

Clinical theory is critical of the notion that individuals can acknowledge the presence, severity, and impact of clinical symptoms and pathological traits (Oltmanns & Powers, 2012); however, empirical work has found moderate self-other convergence for reports of pathological traits and for antagonism-related personality disorder (PD) constructs (i.e., psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism), which are characterized by low insight. Nevertheless, empirical examinations of insight into perceptions of impairment is scant. Thus, the present study sought to examine individuals’ insight regarding pathological traits and related impairment in two samples. In Sample 1, more psychopathic, narcissistic, and Machiavellian individuals reported higher actual levels of pathological traits and were aware of related impairment. In Sample 2, individuals reported higher actual levels of pathological traits and, albeit to a lesser degree, more Antagonism-related impairment. Thus, more psychopathic, narcissistic, and Machiavellian individuals possess a reasonable degree of insight into their actual trait levels and associated impairment.

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Pathological Personality Traits and Intimacy Processes within Roommate Relationships

European Journal of Personality ◽

10.1002/per.1991 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 29 (2) ◽

pp. 152-172 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Robert A. Ackerman ◽

Conrad A. Corretti

Keyword(s):

Personality Traits ◽

Process Model ◽

Personality Pathology ◽

Interpersonal Process ◽

Personality Psychology ◽

Perceived Responsiveness ◽

Interpersonal Dysfunction ◽

Interpersonal Values ◽

Pathological Personality Traits ◽

Interpersonal Motives

Problems with intimacy constitute an important area of interpersonal dysfunction in those with personality pathology. Drawing on the interpersonal process model of intimacy, the present research used a longitudinal dyadic design of same–sex roommate pairs (n = 103) to address how certain pathological personality traits (i.e. Negative Affect, Detachment, and Antagonism) relate to the development of disclosure, perceived responsiveness, and closeness. We expected that participants’ pathological traits would be linked to both their own and their roommate's intimacy development, and that the mechanisms underlying these links would include the endorsement of interpersonal values and/or the dispositional expression of interpersonal behaviour in the roommate relationship. Our findings demonstrate that interpersonal motives and/or behaviours primarily help to explain how individuals with higher levels of Detachment manifest difficulty with intimacy. Implications of our findings for research on personality pathology, normative traits, and intimacy are discussed. Copyright © 2015 European Association of Personality Psychology

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Childhood Maltreatment as Predictor of Pathological Personality Traits Using PSY-5 in an Adult Psychiatric Sample

Journal of Personality Disorders ◽

10.1521/pedi_2017_31_282 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 32 (1) ◽

pp. 1-16

Author(s):

Ji Young Choi ◽

Soo Hyun Park

Keyword(s):

Personality Traits ◽

Childhood Maltreatment ◽

Psychiatric Patients ◽

Psychotic Symptoms ◽

Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders ◽

Personality Psychopathology Five ◽

Adaptive Adjustment ◽

Personality Psychopathology ◽

Adjustment System ◽

Pathological Personality Traits

Extant literature indicates that childhood maltreatment is significantly associated with personality disorders. With the recent call for a more dimensional approach to understanding personality and pathological personality traits, the aim of the present study was to examine whether the experience of childhood maltreatment is associated with pathological personality traits as measured by the Personality Psychopathology Five (PSY-5). We analyzed data from 557 adult psychiatric patients with diverse psychiatric diagnoses, including mood disorders, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, and anxiety disorders. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to determine the degree to which childhood maltreatment explained the five trait dimensions after controlling for demographic variables, presence of psychotic symptoms, and degree of depressive symptoms. Childhood maltreatment significantly predicted all of the five trait dimensions of the PSY-5. This suggests that childhood maltreatment may negatively affect the development of an adaptive adjustment system, thereby potentially contributing to the emergence of pathological personality traits.

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Prospective Follow-up Study of Borderline Personality Disorder: Prognosis, Prediction of Outcome, and Axis II Comorbidity

The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/070674379804300305 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 43 (3) ◽

pp. 265-270 ◽

Cited By ~ 44

Author(s):

Paul S Links ◽

Ronald Heslegrave ◽

Robert van Reekum

Keyword(s):

Borderline Personality Disorder ◽

Personality Disorder ◽

Borderline Personality ◽

Personality Pathology ◽

Initial Assessment ◽

Axis Ii ◽

Follow Up Study ◽

Personality Psychopathology ◽

Borderline Psychopathology

Objective: To examine the rate of persistence of borderline personality disorder (BPD), the existence of concomitant personality disorders on follow-up, and the predictors of outcome in patients who met criteria for BPD compared with patients with borderline features who failed to meet all of the criteria. Method: This prospective cohort study reassessed subjects for BPD diagnosis and cooccurring personality pathology at 7 years follow-up. Initial measures of borderline and comorbid personality psychopathology were used to predict levels of borderline or other personality disorder psychopathology at follow-up. Results: Of the 5 7 subjects who initially met the criteria for BPD, 30 (52.6%) were found to have remitted BPD, and 27 (47.4%) were characterized as having persistent BPD. The remitted group met significantly fewer comorbid personality disorder diagnoses than the persistent group (mean = 0.8, mean = 3.5 respectively; P < 0.05). Results also indicated that the initial level of borderline psychopathology was predictive of borderline psychopathology at follow-up, which explained 17% of the variance. Conclusions: This prospective follow-up study found that almost 50% of former inpatients with BPD continue to test positive for BPD at 7 years follow-up, and these persistent BPD patients also had significantly more comorbid personality psychopathology. Borderline psychopathology at follow-up was primarily predicted by the level of borderline psychopathology recorded at the initial assessment.

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Pathological Personality Traits and the Experience of Daily Situations

Clinical Psychological Science ◽

10.1177/2167702619894902 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 333-342

Author(s):

Ryan Y. Hong ◽

Wing Yan Chan ◽

Jacqueline Y. R. Lim

Keyword(s):

College Student ◽

Personality Traits ◽

Current Understanding ◽

Personality Pathology ◽

Situational Characteristics ◽

Everyday Situation ◽

Pathological Personality Traits

We examined the associations between personality pathology and daily situational experiences. College student participants ( N = 180) were assessed on pathological personality traits along with six assessments of everyday situation experiences. Independent raters judged situation descriptions provided by the participants to estimate the normative and consensually shared aspect of situations. Participants’ subjective situational construals were obtained by partialing the consensual aspect out of their in situ situation ratings. Substantive and meaningful relations between personality pathology and situations were found, and they were predominantly underpinned by subjective construal of situational characteristics. By using comprehensive taxonomies of personality pathology and situations, we advanced current understanding on the day-to-day situational dynamics and experiences of individuals with pathological personality tendencies.

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Toward an Integrated Model of Pathological Personality Traits: Common Hierarchical Structure of the PID-5 and the DAPP-BQ

Journal of Personality Disorders ◽

10.1521/pedi_2019_33_431 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 1-S18 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Fernando Gutiérrez ◽

José Ruiz ◽

Josep Maria Peri ◽

Miguel Gárriz ◽

Gemma Vall ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Personality Traits ◽

Hierarchical Structure ◽

Emotional Dysregulation ◽

Personality Pathology ◽

Factor Analyses ◽

Dimensional Model ◽

One Dimensional ◽

Dimensional Classification ◽

Dimensional Assessment ◽

Pathological Personality Traits

A dimensional classification seems to be the next move in the personality disorders field. However, it is not clear whether there is one dimensional model or many, or whether the currently available dimensional instruments measure the same traits. To help clarify these issues, the authors administered the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5) and the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology (DAPP-BQ) to 414 psychiatric outpatients. Factor analyses showed that a common hierarchical structure underlies both instruments, even if each one measures slightly different aspects of it. Disattenuated correlations indicated that, at the lower order level, two thirds of the PID-5 and DAPP-BQ facets measure essentially the same traits, although the pairings were not exactly as predicted. Among higher order domains, only PID Negative Affectivity and Detachment converged unambiguously with DAPP Emotional Dysregulation and Inhibition. Overall, the PID-5 and the DAPP-BQ reflect, with small divergences, one and the same structure of pathological personality traits.

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Criterion A Scales: Convergent, Discriminant, and Structural Relationships

Assessment ◽

10.1177/1073191120947160 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 107319112094716

Author(s):

Gillian A. McCabe ◽

Joshua R. Oltmanns ◽

Thomas A. Widiger

Keyword(s):

Personality Disorder ◽

Personality Traits ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Discriminant Validity ◽

Factor Model ◽

Five Factor Model ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Criterion A ◽

Alternative Measures ◽

Pathological Personality Traits

The alternative model of personality disorder was created to address the apparent failings of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–Fourth edition–text revision personality disorder diagnostic categories and consists of Criterion A (i.e., personality functioning) and Criterion B (i.e., pathological personality traits). There are now four alternative measures of the Criterion A impairments but, perhaps surprisingly, no study has yet compared any one of them with any one of the other three. The current study assesses the convergent (and discriminant) validity of all four, as well as their structural relationship with the five-factor model (FFM), a widely accepted model for understanding the structure of normal and pathological personality traits. Exploratory structural equation modeling analyses of the Criterion A measures and FFM scales demonstrate that the Criterion A self-identity scale can be understood as a maladaptive variant of FFM neuroticism. Moreover, results indicate no appreciable discriminant validity in the assessment of the Criterion A impairments—the Criterion A scales correlated more highly within measures than across alternative measures, even when measuring the same construct. Implications of these findings for the conceptualization and assessment of Criterion A self and interpersonal impairments are discussed.

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