Dimensional characteristics of DSM-IV personality disorders in a large epidemiological sample

OBJECTIVE: To assess the five-factor model (FFM) characteristics of young adults with Diagnostic Statistical Manual-IV (DSM-IV) personality disorders in a large community study. METHOD: As part of the eighth wave of a cohort study, 1469 young adults (mean age: 24 years) completed the NEO-five factor inventory, 1145 of whom also had an informant-based personality disorder assessment. RESULTS: The prevalence of personality disorder was 18.6% (95% CI: 16.5-20.7). There were consistent positive associations with neuroticism and negative associations with agreeableness across all three clusters of personality disorder. CONCLUSION: In young adults, high neuroticism and low agreeableness are consistent dimensional characteristics of all personality disorder clusters.