Welcome to SAMPPL!

The Samuel Assessment Methods for Personality and Psychopathology Lab within the Department of Psychological Sciences at Purdue University is focused on using dimensional trait models to improve the conceptualization and assessment of personality disorders (PDs). For example, existing research suggests that the Five-Factor Model (FFM; or Big Five) provides a reasonably comprehensive framework for describing normal personality functioning. Our work seeks to translate and apply these basic science findings to improve the understanding and treatment of personality pathology.

The implementation of a dimensional model holds the promise of eliminating some of the historical difficulties of the personality disorder categories (i.e., excessive diagnostic co-occurrence) and instead building upon the foundation of basic science by linking clinical syndromes with general personality research. Within this context, our research interests fall within three related lines of inquiry:

1) Assessing personality pathology and its relationship to general personality

2) Investigating how practicing clinicians use models of personality pathology in their practice

3) Examining the role of personality in the development, maintenance, and treatment of other conditions, such as substance abuse