Exploring the Alternative Model for Personality Disorders Using SCORS-G Ratings on Thematic Apperception Test Narratives

• Published in: Journal of personality disorders Vol. 36; no. 2; p. 201
• Main Authors: Ruchensky, Jared R, Dowgwillo, Emily A, Kelley, Shannon E, Massey, Christina, Slavin-Mulford, Jenelle, Richardson, Laura A, Blais, Mark A, Stein, Michelle B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.04.2022
• Subjects: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; Humans; Personality; Personality Assessment; Personality Disorders - diagnosis; Personality Disorders - psychology; Thematic Apperception Test; Alternative Model for Personality Disorders; SCORS-G; multimethod assessment; personality assessment
• ISSN: 1943-2763
• DOI: 10.1521/pedi_2021_35_535

The Alternative Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD) in Section III of the fifth edition of the ; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) conceptualizes personality pathology as a combination of impairment (Criterion A) and traits (Criterion B). One measure used to develop Criterion A was the Social Cognition and Object Relations Scale - Global Rating Method (SCORS-G), which is a multidimensional, object-relational clinician-rated measure of personality functioning. Although there are conceptual links between the AMPD and SCORS-G dimensions, there exists no research examining the relationship. To address this, we examined associations between the SCORS-G dimensions and measures of the AMPD constructs in a large, archival dataset of outpatients and inpatients. More pathological scores on SCORS-G dimensions reflecting self- and interpersonal functioning were associated with greater pathological traits and impairment. Overall, results support further investigation into SCORS-G as a useful measure in AMPD research and assessment.