Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment, Vol 17(2), Mar 2026, 128-140; doi:10.1037/per0000751
Dimensional models of personality disorders (PDs) define them by impairments in self and interpersonal functioning, with optional or mandatory) specification of maladaptive traits. While interpersonal dysfunction is central to the manifestation and treatment of PDs, it remains unclear whether maladaptive traits provide incremental value in predicting affective responses to interpersonal situations beyond PD severity. Across two preregistered experimental online studies (N₁ = 548, N₂ = 192), we examined whether the maladaptive traits negative affectivity and detachment predict affective responses to interpersonal stimuli after adjusting for level of personality functioning. Stimuli were selected based on the results of a pilot study (N₀ = 445). Participants rated their affect following exposure to audiorecorded interpersonal statements of positive, negative, or neutral valence. Results from both studies showed that negative affectivity was consistently associated with higher levels of negative affect across the paradigm, while detachment predicted lower levels of positive affect, consistent with their theoretical definitions. Contrary to expectations, detachment also predicted higher negative affect in both studies. No trait significantly predicted affective reactivity to positive stimuli, and only one study supported a reduced negative affect increase in response to negative stimuli among individuals high in detachment. All observed effects were incremental to level of personality functioning. These findings suggest that maladaptive traits capture meaningful variance in interpersonal affective responses beyond global personality dysfunction and may aid in individualizing case conceptualizations. However, inconsistencies in affective reactivity point to a need for improved trait operationalizations and greater attention to context in future research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)