Personality, attenuated traits, and personality disorders

A dimensional diagnostic system for personality disorders (PD) postulates continuous transition from normal to disordered personalities (continuity hypothesis) and universal validity of basic personality dimensions (universal hypothesis). The present study investigates the validity of Leonhard's concept of attenuated personalities that define a conceptual link between normal personality dimensions and PD. Nine possible continuous transitions between three conceptual levels (Big Five personality factors, nine attenuated personality traits, nine PD) were tested by questionnaire data obtained from a mentally healthy (n=166) and a clinical sample (n=78). Both samples differed significantly in nearly all variables. However, they showed substantial similarity concerning the (in)validity of single continua and the complex structure of all variables as analyzed by multidimensional scaling. The concept of attenuated personalities could be validated for six out of nine tested continua and can be recommended for application in dimensional models of personality and personality disorders.