Classifying Personality Disorders: Ideal Types, Prototypes, or Dimensions?

This paper discusses the implications of Jasper s ideas, namely that different forms of psychopathology require different approaches to classification and that an adequate classification of personality disorder should yield a detailed description of the individual, for future classifications of personality disorder. It is argued that future classifications should incorporate a dimensional model of personality. The role of prototypes and ideal types in the classification of personality disorder is discussed. These ideas are illustrated by reference to the development of a dimensional representation of personality disorder derived from clinical concepts.