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

A dimensional classification seems to be the next move in the personality disorders field. However, it is not clear whether we have one dimensional model or many, or whether the currently available dimensional instruments measure the same traits. To help clarify these issues, we 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, and that both cover every aspect of this structure equally well. Furthermore, disattenuated correlations indicated that two thirds of the PID and DAPP 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 one and the same structure of personality pathology and can be used interchangeably