Affective-Cognitive Differentiation and Integrity as a Dispositional Fa ctor in Personality and Behavioral Disorders

The article describes the development of an integrative bio-psycho-social modelof personality disorders. This model is based on the interconnection of intellect,self-regulation, self-identity, and social relationships. The prognostic value of thecategory of “affective-cognitive style” is estimated on the grounds of a meta-analysisof various empirical studies and theoretical models. The article discusses theresults of clinical and experimental studies that specify the functions of cognitivedifferentiation and integrity and of symbolic mediation and reflection in the regulationof the content, emotional valence, temporal stability, and spatial organizationof intrapsychic representations of self and interpersonal relationships, as wellas the systemic organization of defense and coping operations.