Personality Trait Approach: Postulates, Controversies, and Recent Advances
Traits are the most commonly used measurement units of personality in empirical research. Given that numerous longitudinal studies have demonstrated that personality traits are related to the onset and course of different adjustment problems in children, adolescents, and adults, personality trait questionnaires are also increasingly used for clinical assessment in various intervention settings. It is thus important for psychosocial intervention professionals to have a good understanding of the personality trait approach. However, the personality trait construct continues to be misunderstood. This article attempts to clarify and to define rigorously this construct by reviewing the major postulates of the personality trait approach. Discussing these postulates allows identifying the major controversies about the existence, validity, and practical usefulness of personality traits. Even though conceptual and methodological problems are still to be resolved, the available empirical studies demonstrate that traits have reached a satisfactory scientific status and constitute fundamental measurement units of human personality which are useful for both research and clinical practice.