Since the second edition of this authoritative text was published in 2002, the research base supporting the Five-Factor Model (FFM) of personality disorder has more than quadrupled. As a result, the vast majority of this volume is new. In the upcoming fifth edition of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), the major innovation for the personality disorders will likely be a shift from the classic syndrome-based approach to a dimensional description approach. The new approach views personality disorder as a collection of maladaptive variants of normal personality traits. Whether a clinical disorder is present depends on whether an individual experiences significant functional impairment. Because this approach allows clinicians to describe each patient in terms of the personality traits most relevant to his/her experiences and dysfunction, the result is a more accurate diagnosis and more effective treatment. This book explains how personality disorders can be understood from the perspective of the FFM, the most heavily researched and empirically supported dimensional model of general personality structure. The chapters summarise the conceptual and empirical support for the FFM, including the dimensional description of specific personality disorders and the application of the model for assessment and treatment. Case studies are also provided. The volume is an essential reference for clinicians, researchers, and graduate students who work with personality disorders. No other currently published text is as fully informed or as closely coordinated with the likely forthcoming DSM-V personality disorder nomenclature.

Now in a revised and expanded second edition, this influential work argues for the enduring stability of personality across adult development. It also offers a highly accessible introduction to the five-factor model of personality. Critically reviewing different theories of personality and adult development, the authors explain the logic behind the scientific assessment of personality, present a comprehensive model of trait structure, and examine patterns of trait stability and change after age 30, incorporating data from ongoing cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. New in the Second Edition The second edition has been updated throughout with the authors' new findings, ideas, and interpretations, and includes a new chapter on cross-cultural research. It culminates in an additional new chapter that presents a comprehensive theory of personality grounded in the five-factor model.

This influential work examines how enduring dispositions or traits affect the process of aging and shape each individual's life course. From two well-known authorities in the field, the volume is grounded in a growing body of empirical evidence. Critically reviewing different theories of personality and adult development, the authors explain the logic behind the scientific assessment of personality, present a comprehensive model of trait structure, and examine patterns of trait stability and change after age 30, incorporating data from ongoing cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. Written in a clear, jargon-free style, this book is an ideal text for advanced students and a timely reference for researchers and clinicians.