The FFM adds a dimensional approach to the classification of personality disorders. Therefore, all ten PDs show unique and meaningful relationships to the domains of the FFM, and are extreme variants of the all five domains of personality (Samuel & Widiger, 2008). For example, Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) can be better understood by looking at the facet level of the FFM domains. Samuel and Widiger (2008) found positive relationships for BPD with six Neuroticism facets and negative relationships with two facets of Extraversion, three facets of Agreeableness, and four facets of Conscientiousness. Now, due to the positive relationship BPD has with Neuroticism facets, BPD is often characterized by emotional, behavioral, and interpersonal dysfunction. Individuals higher in BPD symptoms and their partners report lower levels of relationship satisfaction (Lavner, Lamkin & Miller, 2015). Longitudinal analyses indicated the impairment associated with BPD symptoms was present in the beginning of the relationship and over time couples with more BPD symptoms were more distressed than other couples throughout the newlywed years (Layner et al., …show more content…
(2004) looked at all three personality clusters and how each was associated with partner conflict across adolescence and early adulthood. Results showed that cluster B sustained elevations in partner conflict while clusters A and C showed a decrease in partner conflict after early adulthood. In another study looking at the DSM personality clusters, Daley, Burge, and Hammen (2000) found symptoms in Cluster B, including BPD, were more consistently associated with dysfunction in romantic relationships. Cluster A symptoms were less consistently predictive, while Cluster C symptoms had no predictive value.
South et al. (2008) examined personality pathology and marital functioning by having both the participant and spouse report on PD symptoms and relationship satisfaction. The results indicate that the processing dynamics that occur in individuals with PD symptoms are more likely to misunderstand and misconstrue their partners’ actions. Therefore, people with PD symptoms are more likely to interpret actions by their partners’ as negative or threatening. When the partner with high PD symptoms constantly misinterprets actions in a relationship, hostility and resentment are likely to