Alternative DSM-5 model for personality disorders

The Alternative DSM-5 Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD), introduced in Section III of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), provides an alternative conceptual framework for the classification and understanding of personality disorders. It differs from previous DSM models of personality disorders, including the standard model in the DSM-5, in that it is based on a dimensional approach to personality pathology, whereas previous models have been characterized by rigid diagnostic criteria for each individual personality disorder. The alternative model, on the other hand, aims to better capture the complexity of personality pathology by assessing impairments in personality functioning and pathological personality traits. Designed to address limitations of the categorical system—such as excessive comorbidity and lack of diagnostic precision—the alternative model offers a nuanced perspective that aligns more closely with contemporary research and clinical practice. Its focus on the interplay between personality traits and functioning aims to improve diagnostic accuracy and treatment planning, though it remains a topic of ongoing debate and research. The alternative model features the following specified personality disorders, in alphabetical order: antisocial, avoidant, borderline, narcissistic, obsessive-compulsive, and schizotypal. This constitutes a reduction of entities, as the standard model contains the additional diagnoses of dependent, histrionic, paranoid, and schizoid personality disorders.