The trait-type dialectic: Opportunities, challenges, and constructive dialogue.

In their incisive and engaging commentaries Drs. Lilienfeld and Widiger make a number of cogent points regarding how personality pathology should be conceptualized and assessed, both arguing strongly that dimensional models are superior to categorical personality disorder frameworks. In this response, I describe areas of convergence and divergence between my perspective and those of my colleagues and argue that-current ascendance of dimensional models notwithstanding-the trait-type dialectic will continue into the future as empirical evidence and clinical experience illuminate previously unrecognized strengths and limitations of each approach. To foster productive collaboration and constructive dialogue, I offer suggestions regarding studies that allow for rigorous comparison of the construct validity and clinical utility of categorical and dimensional perspectives on personality pathology, in the laboratory and in vivo. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).