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Degree

PHD, Kent State University, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Psychology, 2012.

Abstract

Compulsivity is a personality domain trait that the DSM-5 Work Group on Personality and Personality Disorders (Work Group) defined as “The tendency to think and act according to a narrowly defined and unchanging ideal, and the expectation that this ideal should be adhered to by everyone” (APA, 2010). The Work Group suggested compulsivity was comprised of five facet traits: perfectionism, perseveration, rigidity, orderliness, and risk aversion. The purpose of this study was to examine to what degree the personality domain trait of compulsivity and its associated facet traits were encompassed by two existing models of personality, namely the Personality Psychopathology Five (PSY-5) and the Five Factor Model (FFM). Self-report questionnaires designed to measure the PSY-5 and FFM as well as the facet traits of compulsivity were administered to a total of 664 undergraduates at a large midwestern university. The responses of 408 students were examined using both multivariate and univariate analyses. The results of the study did not support the theory that perfectionism, orderliness, perseveration, rigidity, and risk aversion were all facets of a single broad domain trait of personality. However, there was evidence these facet traits were accounted for with varying degrees of success by the PSY-5 and FFM. Fore example, the PSY-5 was better able than the FFM to account for risk aversion while the opposite was true for orderliness. Further research into the domain and facet traits of maladaptive personality will be needed with the implementation of a dimensional model for the assessment of personality disorders in DSM-5. This area of research has the potential to advance not only the understanding of the structure and treatment of personality pathology, but it may also eventually influence the broader conceptualization and organization of all psychopathology as well as provide a stronger understanding of etiological factors and targets for intervention.

Subject Headings

Clinical Psychology; Personality Psychology; Psychology

Keywords

personality; compulsivity; PSY-5; MMPI-2; MMPI-2-RF; DSM-5; FFM

Advisor

John Graham (Committee Chair)

Pages

101p.

Document number: kent1350082837
Permalink: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1350082837

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