Object Relations Theory Model of Personality Disorders

Contemporary models of the diagnosis and classification of personality disorders have diverged from the categorical diagnostic framework of the DSM system. One response to this movement can be found in the Alternative DSM-5 Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD), which uses dimensions of personality functioning, coupled with identification of dominant pathological traits, to define and classify personality disorders. By applying psychodynamic object relations theory to the AMPD, therapists can enrich the understanding and assessment of personality functioning and pathology as described in the AMPD.