Utility of MMPI-2-RF in Differentiating Criterion B of DSM–5 Alternative Model of Personality Disorders on an Iranian Clinical Sample

Section III of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) represents an alternative model for the diagnosis of personality disorders (PDs). Criterion B of this model comprises 25 pathological personality traits which along with the personality dysfunction (Criterion A), are considered for classifying and assessing six PDs. Though many lines of evidence support this new model, there is a need for examining its validity and applicability in clinical practice. In an attempt to obtain this goal, it has been suggested to evaluate the alternative model from the perspective of the well-established inventories, including Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF, (Ben-Porath & Tellegen, 2008). The current study sought to evaluate the utility of MMPI-2-RF scales in the differentiation of DSM-5 Section III PDs traits Criterion to Iranian clinical sample using evaluating the joint structure of DSM-5 Section III PDs traits Criterion with MMPI-2-RF scales. Participants were 331 Iranian-community dwelling patients who had been diagnosed with PDs. Results of exploratory structural equation modeling indicated that the factor model of DSM-5 Section III PDs with the MMPI-2-RF PSY-5 scales had the most resemblance to the conceptually-expected structure, and the factor model of the PDs along with the MMPI-2-RF HO and RC scales had the least convergence with initial assumption. According to the obtained clinical picture of elevation, the Ideas of Persecution scales (RC6) was the most clinically elevated, reflecting pessimism and beliefs surrounding insecurity. We discuss Implications for the DSM-5 Section III PDs conceptualization from the MMPI-2-RF viewpoint.