A test of models of personality disorder configuration

Abstract

In this study, the authors examined the degrees to which various models of personality disorder (PD) configuration are consistent with the primary data sets from clinical and community samples reported in the recent literature. Factor analyses were conducted on PD intercorrelation matrices, and the loading matrices were rotated to maximum possible fit with target matrices representing the PD configuration models. There was little support for the interpersonal circle or other circular orderings of PDs, or for T. Millon's (1990, 1996) biosocial learning theory. There was moderate support for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) dimensions, for C. R. Cloninger's (1987) tridimensional theory, and for S. Torgersen and R. Alnaes's (1989) decision tree. There was consistent, stronger support for the 5-factor model (T. A. Widiger, T. J. Trull, J. F. Clarkin, C. Sanderson, & P. T. Costa, 1994) and for an empirically derived 7-factor model by C. R. Cloninger and D. M. Svrakic (1994).