Picture this: We used to see personalities as black and white, but now it's more like looking at a colorful painting. The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and  the 11th edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11)  brought in a new way of understanding personalities. This new method is known as the dimensional model. It's more about shades and mixed colours for example you can be a little bit of this and a little bit of that. .  So How does this new approach work?  Instead of simply labelling a person as having a particular disorder, it looks at different levels of traits. Traits in this case are things like suspiciousness or negative thinking.  But according to some, the description of these items is not accurate. This also brings up important questions. What makes us different from others?  Why are there so many grey areas things are too much mixed up now.  And that is not easy.  Some people think this new model is about cutting off points in personality profiles.  Too vague, too complex, too confusing.

      Who sees it differently in the manual?

        For example, in the DSM-5, it is said that the Alternative Model of Personality (AMPD) has certain issues. The DSM-5 talks about 5 broad areas of personality functioning.

        But how well does it handle things like sadness (depressivity) that are within negative emotions? And how limited is its focus on all 10 poles of the five trait dimensions?

        The system suggests there isn't a single line in the sand that separates personality traits that's too different from others. It makes sense, but it can be tricky.

        The DSM-5 also introduces the Level of Personality Functioning (LPF) scale in the AMPD model. While it provides a way to gauge the severity of personality disorders, critics argue that it's not clear if this really captures the essence of personality disorders.  Some people think it doesn't clearly define what makes personality disorders unique

        But watch this? In 11th edition of the ICD-11,  they have some limits too. It doesn't use lower-order facet scales, which means it misses out on finer details of each personality trait.  On the flip side, it emphasizes the level of severity, which could be missed in the DSM-5.  What needs to be understood the basic problem that the AMPD lacks is a proper weightage in all 10 poles of the five trait dimensions.

        The debate is, for improving the models, some experts suggest revisiting how depression affects negative thinking and also, how suspiciousness fits within antagonism. Cutoff points based on real-world difficulties like work or social issues should also be considered.

        Finally, the models should include detailed trait assessments and facet scales. Next time you hear someone talking about personality traits, they might be speaking a language that's not just black and white.  It's a movement towards recognising the multicolored complexity of human personality.

Unlocking Personalities: The Dimensional Approach Explained

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