Normal Personality Assessment in Clinical Practice: The NEO Personality Inventory

Personality psychologists from a variety of theoretical perspectives have recently concluded that personality traits can be summarized in terms of a 5-factor model. This article describes the NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI), a measure of these 5 factors and some of the traits that define them, and its use in clinical practice. Recent studies suggest that NEO-PI scales are reliable and valid in clinical samples as in normal samples. The use of self-report personality measures in clinical samples is discussed, and data from 117 "normal" adult men and women are presented to show links between the NEO-PI scales and psychopathology as measured by Jackson's (1989) Basic Personality Inventory and Morey's (1991) Personality Assessment Inventory. We argue that the NEO-PI may be useful to clinicians in understanding the patient, formulating a diagnosis, establishing rapport, developing insight, anticipating the course of therapy, and selecting the optimal form of treatment for the patient.

Duke Scholars

Author Paul T. Costa Jr. Medicine, Geriatrics and Palliative Care