The Five-Factor Model of Personality Disorder

ABSTRACT The Five-Factor Model of personality disorders (FFMPD; Widiger & Mullins-Sweatt, 2009) developed from the recogni-tion that the popular Five-Factor Model (FFM) of personality could be used to describe and understand the official personality disorder (PD) constructs from the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) diagnostic manuals (e.g., DSM-IV-TR, APA, 2000). This article provides an over-view of the FFM, highlighting its validity and utility in characterizing PDs as well as its ability to provide a comprehensive account of personality pathology in general. In 2013, DSM-5 is scheduled to appear, and the “hybrid ” PD proposal will emphasize a 25–personality trait model. I present the current version of this new model, compare it to the FFMPD, and discuss issues related to the implementation of the FFMPD. This article presents an overview of the Five-Factor Model of personality disorders (FFMPD; Widiger & Mullins-Sweatt, 2009), including its historical development, empirical support, and previou