Assessment Challenges and Opportunities in the Transition to Dimensional Diagnosis (1.5 CEs)

Abstract

Existing evidence indicates that individual differences in self-report/interview measures of personality traits and psychopathology share, by and large, a common structure consisting of dimensions that can be organized hierarchically. Although significant differences in perspective remain, there now exists a general sentiment favoring the value of this rapprochement in the empirical literature, which can be generally summarized under the rubric of “dimensional diagnosis”. The fieldwide shift toward dimensional diagnosis is complex. It implies the need for significant changes with respect to both practical issues in implementing dimensional models in the clinic and conceptual issues in the way we think about and study psychopathology. Practical issues include questions such as, how can dimensional models of diagnosis be applied in practice?, how does dimensional diagnosis change how we think about psychotherapy and training?, and could dimensional diagnosis help with problems such as stigma and inclusion? Conceptual issues include questions such as, what are the differences between personality and psychopathology?, what are personality disorders in an integrative model of personality and disorder?, what does developmental and genetic research have to say about the integration of personality and psychopathology?, what are the implications of dimensional diagnosis for psychopathology research?, and how can we understand neurodevelopmental and cognitive disorders? This talk will provide an overview of debates around the transition to dimensional diagnosis as they pertain to personality assessment practice, research, and training.

Presenter

Christopher Hopwood | University of Zurich

Goals & Objectives

1. Review the evidence for dimensional diagnosis
2. Compare different strategies for implementing dimensional diagnosis in daily practice and training
3. Discuss different perspectives on how to transition toward dimensional diagnosis