DIMENSIONAL MODELS OF PERSONALITY - A FRAMEWORK FOR SYSTEMATIC CLINICAL-ASSESSMENT

Personality research has made considerable progress in developing dime nsional models. This article reviews the application of these trait mo dels to clinical theory and practice. Assessment of traits is useful F or understanding the individual client, for diagnosis and therapy, and for tailoring the clinical interview to the needs of the patient. Dim ensional models have been applied to several areas of pathology. Neuro ticism and a variety of other traits are implicated in subclinical str ess reactions. At the process level, the effects of traits such as neu roticism may be mediated by maladaptive coping strategies. Traits such as neuroticism may also have a causal effect on more severe mood and anxiety disorders, although ii is likely that there are reciprocal lin kages between personality and pathology. As with subclinical stress, t raits may influence depression and anxiety through abnormality of cogn itive processes, the clinical significance of which should be assessed in the light of the individual's trait characteristics. A further are a of application is personality disorder: Dimensional models capture a nd clarify the principal clinical features of conditions such as schiz oid and antisocial disorders, it is concluded that the dimensional app roach provides a framework for the systematic understanding of clinica l expressions of abnormality in personality and their implications for diagnosis and treatment.