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JOURNAL OF PSICOPATHOLOGY

Psychopathology and Psychotherapy

Vol. 31: Issue 4 - December 2025

Personality disorders in adolescence: integrating dimensional traits and diagnostic categories for early identification

Authors

Lucia Sideli , Andrea Fontana , Riccardo Pecora , Lucrezia Trani , Gaia Cuzzocrea , Marta Mascanzoni , Patrizia Brogna , Chiara Santomassimo , Isabella Panaccione , Nella Lo Cascio , Ingrid Isabela Gravila , Gianluigi Di Cesare , Giuseppe Ducci , Vincenzo Caretti

Key words: Adolescence, Personality Disorders, Dimensional Assessment, Categorical Diagnoses, DSM-5
DOI: 10.36148/2284-0249-1745
Publication Date: 2026-02-06

Abstract

Background

This study examines the prevalence, characteristics, and diagnostic profiles of personality disorders in adolescents, integrating dimensional and categorical approaches. It aims to explore the psychopathological manifestations and the role of gender differences in clinical presentation, providing insights for early diagnosis and targeted intervention.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted on a clinical cohort of 38 adolescents (aged 14-18) assessed at a mental health service. Categorical diagnoses were established using the SCID-5 PD and ICD-9, while dimensional assessments were conducted using the DSM-5 AMPD (SCID-5 AMPD) and PID-5. General symptom severity was measured using the SCL-90-R, along with assessments of personality functioning.

Results

Specific Personality Trait Disorder emerged as the most prevalent diagnosis (63.2%), followed by Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), which appeared frequently within the sample. Dimensional assessments revealed significant impairments in Negative Affectivity, Disinhibition, and Psychoticism, with females scoring higher in Disinhibition and Psychoticism. Categorical evaluations showed considerable diagnostic heterogeneity, with BPD and Avoidant Personality Disorder among the most frequent.

Conclusions

The integration of categorical and dimensional models offered a comprehensive understanding of adolescent psychopathology, emphasizing the need for diagnostic tools sensitive to gender differences and developmental trajectories. Findings support early intervention strategies focused on emotional regulation and psychosocial adaptation. Future studies should investigate the longitudinal course of personality disorders and the efficacy of early interventions.

 

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Authors

Lucia Sideli - Department of Human Science, LUMSA University, Rome.

Andrea Fontana - Department of Human Science, LUMSA University, Rome Italy

Riccardo Pecora - Department of Human Sciences, LUMSA University, Rome, Italy

Lucrezia Trani - Department of Human Sciences, LUMSA University, Rome, Italy

Gaia Cuzzocrea - Department of Human Sciences, LUMSA University, Rome, Italy

Marta Mascanzoni - Department of Human Sciences, LUMSA University, Rome, Italy

Patrizia Brogna - Prevention and Early Intervention Complex Operative Unit, Department of Mental Health, Local Health Authority Rome 1, Rome, Italy

Chiara Santomassimo - Prevention and Early Intervention Complex Operative Unit, Department of Mental Health, Local Health Authority Rome 1, Rome, Italy

Isabella Panaccione - Prevention and Early Intervention Complex Operative Unit, Department of Mental Health, Local Health Authority Rome 1, Rome, Italy

Nella Lo Cascio - Prevention and Early Intervention Complex Operative Unit, Department of Mental Health, Local Health Authority Rome 1, Rome, Italy

Ingrid Isabela Gravila - Prevention and Early Intervention Complex Operative Unit, Department of Mental Health, Local Health Authority Rome 1, Rome, Italy

Gianluigi Di Cesare - Prevention and Early Intervention Complex Operative Unit, Department of Mental Health, Local Health Authority Rome 1, Rome, Italy

Giuseppe Ducci - Department of Mental Health, Local Health Authority Rome 1, Rome, Italy.

Vincenzo Caretti - Department of Human Sciences, LUMSA University, Rome, Italy

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Copyright

Copyright (c) 2026 Journal of Psychopathology

How to Cite
[1]
Sideli, L., Fontana, A., Pecora, R., Trani, L. , Cuzzocrea, G., Mascanzoni, M., Brogna, P., Santomassimo, C., Panaccione, I., Lo Cascio, N., Gravila, I.I., Di Cesare, G., Ducci, G. and Caretti, V. 2026. Personality disorders in adolescence: integrating dimensional traits and diagnostic categories for early identification. Journal of Psychopathology. 31, 4 (Feb. 2026). DOI:https://doi.org/10.36148/2284-0249-1745.
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