The Interpersonal Circumplex and the Alternative Model of Personality Disorders: Relationships among Older Adults

Introduction The interpersonal circumplex model measures interpersonal dysfunction along two axes (communion and agency), resulting in eight unhealthy patterns: Domineering, Vindictive, Cold, Socially Avoidant, Nonassertive, Exploitable, Overly Nurturant, and Intrusive. It is unclear how the circumplex model applies to older adults and their unique biopsychosocial contexts. This study examined relationships between the circumplex and personality disorder features, using the Alternative Model of Personality Disorder’s (AMPD) personality functioning and pathological personality trait constructs. Method: Older adults (N = 202) completed the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Short Circumplex (IIP-SC), the Levels of Personality Functioning Scale-Self-Report (LPFS-SR), and the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5) to measure pathological personality traits. Results Correlations were computed between the IIP-SC’s eight circumplex scales with the LPFS-SR’s four personality functioning domains and with the PID-5’s five domains. All circumplex scales significantly (p < .001) and positively correlated with all LPFS-SR and PID-5 domains, with large effect sizes (> .45). Next, regressions were conducted, with the LPFS-SR and PID-5 domains predicting each IIP-SC scale. Across the eight regressions, the AMPD constructs accounted for significant variance in the IIP-SC scales, ranging from 38% (Nonassertive) to 64% (Domineering and Cold). Discussion Significant overlap between the interpersonal circumplex and the AMPD was demonstrated, but patterns are distinct from previous research among younger adults. The circumplex was limited in its relation to the AMPD’s personality functioning, but the pathological personality trait model was well represented through the circumplex. Results indicate that the circumplex may have some validity among older adults and warrants further investigation.

Using Interpersonal Dimensions of Personality and Personality Pathology to Examine Momentary and Idiographic Patterns of Alliance Rupture

The Alternative Model of Personality Disorders (AMPD) integrates several theoretical models of personality functioning, including interpersonal theory. The interpersonal circumplex dimensions of warmth and dominance can be conceptualized as traits similar to those in AMPD Criterion B, but interpersonal theory also offers dynamic hypotheses about how these variables that change from moment to moment, which help to operationalize some of the processes alluded to in AMPD Criterion A. In the psychotherapy literature, dynamic interpersonal behaviors are thought to be critical for identifying therapeutic alliance ruptures, yet few studies have examined moment-to-moment interpersonal behaviors that are associated with alliance ruptures at an idiographic level. The current study examined the concurrent and cross-lagged relationships between interpersonal behaviors and alliance ruptures within each session in the famous Gloria films (“Three Approaches to Psychotherapy”). Interpersonal behaviors (warmth and dominance) as well as alliance ruptures (i.e., withdrawal and confrontation) were calculated at half minute intervals for each dyad. We identified distinct interpersonal patterns associated with alliance ruptures for each session: Gloria (patient)’s warmth was positively related with withdrawal ruptures concurrently in the session with Carl Rogers; Gloria’s dominance and coldness were related with increased confrontation ruptures in the session with Fritz Perls concurrently, while her coldness was also predicted by confrontation ruptures at previous moments; lastly, both Gloria’s dominance and Albert Ellis’s submissiveness were positively related with withdrawal ruptures. These interpersonal patterns demonstrated the promise of using AMPD dimensions to conceptualize momentary interpersonal processes related to therapy ruptures, as well as the clinical importance of attuning to repetitive, dyad-specific interpersonal cues of ruptures within each session.

When Depression Breeds Rejection Rather Than Compassion: Disagreeableness, Stigma, and Lack of Empathic Concern Among Support Providers

Past research has shown that the close relationships of depressed individuals are often characterised by rejection rather than compassion. The goal of this research was to broaden interpersonal models of depression by investigating the reports of support providers themselves. Individual differences, including disagreeableness, stigmatic beliefs about depression, and empathic concern were measured. These were examined in relation to reported interpersonal behaviours toward a significant other who was currently depressed. A cross-sectional design was used in an undergraduate (N = 312) and community sample (N = 296). Disagreeable individuals reported less compassionate and more rejecting behaviours toward depressed significant others based on an interpersonal circumplex model of social support. Serial mediation models further indicated that the associations between disagreeableness and rejecting behaviours reported by providers were mediated by stigma and lower empathic concern. The current studies shed light on how the personality, attitudes and emotions of support providers influence the level of compassion expressed toward depressed individuals.

The Nomological Network of the Short Dark Tetrad Scale (SD4)

The present study examined the nomological network of the Short Dark Tetrad scale (SD4). The SD4 measures narcissism, psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and sadism. We translated the original English SD4 into German and used an online sample ( N = 594, 77% women) to investigate its nomological network with regard to the Big Five, honesty-humility, maladaptive personality traits, impulsivity, aggression, motives, values, sociosexual orientation, the octants of the interpersonal circumplex model, and self-esteem. The overall profile similarities between the observed and hypothesized nomological networks were very high. Few correlations differed concerning direction or magnitude. Hence, our study extends the nomological network of the Dark Tetrad in a meaningful way and suggests that the SD4 can be validly interpreted and used for the assessment of narcissism, psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and sadism.

Non-verbal Adaptation to the Interlocutors' Inner Characteristics: Relevance, Challenges, and Future Directions

Human diversity cannot be denied. In our everyday social interactions, we constantly experience the fact that each individual is a unique combination of characteristics with specific cultural norms, roles, personality, and mood. Efficient social interaction thus requires an adaptation of communication behaviors to each specific interlocutor that one encounters. This is especially true for non-verbal communication that is more unconscious and automatic than verbal communication. Consequently, non-verbal communication needs to be understood as a dynamic and adaptive process in the theoretical modeling and study of social interactions. This perspective paper presents relevance, challenges, and future directions for the study of non-verbal adaptation in social interactions. It proposes that non-verbal adaptability is more pertinently studied as adaptation to interlocutor's inner characteristics (i.e., expectations or preferences) than to interlocutor's behaviors per se, because behaviors are communication messages that individuals interpret in order to understand their interlocutors. The affiliation and control dimensions of the Interpersonal Circumplex Model are proposed as a framework to measure both the interlocutors' inner characteristics (self-reported) and the individuals' non-verbal responses (external coders). These measures can then be compared across different interactions to assess an actual change in behavior tailored to different interlocutors. These recommendations are proposed in the hope of generating more research on the topic of non-verbal adaptability. Indeed, after having gathered the evidence on average effects of non-verbal behaviors, the field can go further than a “one size fits all” approach, by investigating the predictors, moderators, and outcomes of non-verbal adaptation to the interlocutors' inner characteristics.

The Nomological Network of the Short Dark Tetrad Scale (SD4)

The present study examined the nomological network of the Short Dark Tetrad scale (SD4). The SD4 measures narcissism, psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and sadism. We translated the original English SD4 into German and used an online sample (N = 594, 77% women) to investigate its nomological network with regard to the Big Five, honesty-humility, maladaptive personality traits, impulsivity, aggression, motives, values, sociosexual orientation, the octants of the interpersonal circumplex model, and self-esteem. The overall profile similarities between the observed and hypothesized nomological networks were very high. Few correlations differed concerning direction or magnitude. Hence, our study extends the nomological network of the Dark Tetrad in a meaningful way and suggests that the SD4 can be validly interpreted and used for the assessment of narcissism, psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and sadism.

Examining the Interpersonal Profiles and Nomological Network Associated with Narcissistic Grandiosity and Narcissistic Vulnerability

Theory and research have consistently shown that pathological narcissism can best be described by 2 phenotypic expressions, narcissistic grandiosity and narcissistic vulnerability. The current study sought to examine the specific types of interpersonal problems reported by those high in narcissistic grandiosity and high in narcissistic vulnerability as well as examine the nomological network associated with these 2 manifestations of narcissism. In a sample of university students who completed self-report measures of pathological narcissism, interpersonal problems, depression, self-esteem, malignant self-regard, self-defeating personality disorder symptoms, and anger, we found that narcissistic grandiosity (<i>n</i> = 108) was associated with one distinct interpersonal profile, for example, being overly intrusive in relationships with others, while narcissistic vulnerability (<i>n</i> = 88) was associated with a wider range of interpersonal problems on the interpersonal circumplex. Using cluster analysis, we found 3 interpersonal subtypes associated with narcissistic vulnerability, an intrusive subtype, a cold subtype, and a socially avoidant subtype. Further examination of group differences showed that the 3 interpersonal subtypes associated with narcissistic vulnerability could also be distinguished based on their experience and expression of anger. This suggests the importance of assessing profiles of interpersonal functioning and anger in narcissistic vulnerability. The clinical implications of our results are discussed.

Experimental Variation of Relationship Styles Draft Version Preprint

Objective: In psychotherapy process research, there is a lack of experimental designs that specifically explore which therapeutic style is helpful for which patient. Thus, the aim of this study was to test the feasibility of experimentally varying the therapeutic style under realistic conditions and how this affects alliance. Method: We defined two therapeutic styles (relationship-focused vs. problem-focused) based on the interpersonal circumplex. In a randomized two-group design, 64 healthy university students (70% female, Mage=23.78 years old, SDage=2.81) were assigned to one of the styles and received a single psychological counseling session on interpersonal conflicts. We checked the manipulation success using an adherence rating and counselors’ interpersonal impressions via the Interpersonal Message Inventory (IMI-R). Primary outcome was alliance (Working Alliance Inventory, WAI). Symptom severity (Symptom Checklist, SCL-K-9) was also assessed. Results: Analyses of adherence (p&lt; .001) and IMI-R ratings (p&lt; .001 in friendly dimension, p=.003 in hostile dimension) were hypotheses-conform to the proposed therapeutic styles. Alliance was highly rated in both conditions and by all raters. While clients did not show any group differences, counselor and observer ratings were significantly higher in the relationship-focused than in the problem-focused condition (p=.040; p=.003). In both groups, symptom severity decreased significantly after the session (p=.020).Conclusions: The experimental variation of the therapeutic style is feasible under realistic conditions with high overall alliance ratings. The novel experimental design may provide a basis for further process research. Mediator and moderator analyses could yield more detailed information on differential relationship forming and thus an individualized therapeutic style.

The Interpersonal Management of Difficult Behavior

This chapter discusses the ORBIT approach to managing difficult interpersonal behavior. It outlines the history and evolution of theories of interpersonal relating, which informed the ORBIT interpersonal circumplex. The ORBIT circumplex organizes behaviors across two axes: the power axis (ranging from controlling to capitulating behaviors) and the intimacy axis (ranging from cooperative to confrontational behaviors). The model consists of eight octants of behavior based on combinations of these two axes (e.g., controlling, controlling–cooperative, controlling–confrontational). The chapter includes the ORBIT coding framework for identifying each of these groups of behavior and their adaptive and maladaptive variants. Real-world examples of interrogations with convicted terrorist Anders Breivik and Parkland School shooter Nikolas Cruz are used to highlight the complexities of different suspect behaviors and how they would be assessed using the ORBIT interpersonal wheels.