Towards a contemporary approach for understanding personality pathology in developmental context: An integrative model

Abstract

Traditional categorical approaches to classifying personality disorders are limited in important ways, leading to a shift in the field to dimensional approaches to conceptualizing personality pathology. Different areas of psychology – personality, developmental, and psychopathology – can be leveraged to understand personality pathology by examining its structure, development, and underlying mechanisms. However, an integrative model that encompasses these distinct lines of inquiry has not yet been proposed. In order to address this gap, we review the latest evidence for dimensional classification of personality disorders based on structural models of maladaptive personality traits, provide an overview of developmental theories of pathological personality, and summarize the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) initiative, which seeks to understand underlying mechanisms of psychopathology. We conclude by proposing an integrative model of personality pathology development that aims to elucidate the developmental pathways of personality pathology and its underlying mechanisms.

Adverse childhood experiences and personality functioning interact substantially in predicting depression, anxiety, and somatization

“…One consideration is that PF is not only correlated with ACE and current psychopathological symptoms but also moderates their association. According to contemporary developmental approaches to personality and psychopathology, PF may, in interaction with environmental factors, influence “the strength and direction of the association between biological factors and underlying (Research Domain Criteria [RDoc; Mittal & Wakschlag, 2017]) functional domains” (Altschuler & Krueger, 2021, p. 8). Further, self‐concept, emotion regulation, and social interaction/attachment (central aspects of PF) were consistently found to be resilience factors that moderate the relationship between childhood adversity and mental health (Fritz et al, 2018).…”

Coping, (mal)adaptive personality and identity in young adults: A network analysis

“…In other words, personality, or adaptive personality, refers to a pattern of unique, relatively permanent characteristics that gives both consistency and individuality to a person's behavior. Similarly, maladaptive personality is often defined as an enduring pattern of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that negatively affect a person's adaptation and are thought to involve dysfunctions of the self and dysfunctions in one's ability to relate to others (Altschuler & Krueger, 2021;Clark & Watson, 2022;Roberts et al, 2007). Both adaptive and maladaptive personality are influenced by a complex interplay of transactions with the environment, including evocative, reactive, and passive person-environment interactions (e.g., Caspi & Shiner, 2006).…”