Abstract
We lack knowledge of the temporal stability of major personality dimensions in patients with personality disorders (PDs). The Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) is a self-report instrument that operationalizes the Five-Factor Model of personality. This study investigated the relative stability, mean level stability, and individual level stability of the NEO-PI-R scores in patients with PDs (n = 393) and patients with symptom disorders only (n = 131). The NEO-PI-R was administered at admission to short-term day treatment and after an average of 19 months. The results showed a moderate to high degree of stability of NEO-PI-R scale scores with no substantial difference in stability between patients with and without PD. Changes in NEO-PI-R scores were associated with changes in symptom distress. Neuroticism was the least stable domain. The study indicates that the Five-Factor Modelof personality dimensions and traits are fairly stable in patients with PDs. The lower stability of Neuroticism may partly be explained by its inherent state aspects.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 187-195 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease |
Volume | 197 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 2009 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Five-factor model
- NEO-PI-R
- Personality
- Personality disorders
- Stability
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychiatry and Mental health