Objective: Despite the fact that new criteria for borderline personality disorder (BPD) were resulted from Five-Factor Model (FFM), there are a small number of studies that investigate the relation between proposed personality traits and FFM. Also, cross-cultural study in this field is needed continuously. Though, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the relation between the FFM and DSM-5 pathological traits.

Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study design. The participants consisted of 130 individuals with borderline personality disorder that were selected from prisoners (n=80), outpatients (n=35) and inpatients (n=15). They were recruited from Tehran prisons, and clinical psychology and psychiatry clinics of Razi and Taleghani Hospitals, Tehran, Iran. The Sample was selected based on judgmental sampling. The SCID-II-PQ, SCID-II, NEO-PI-R and DSM- 5 Personality Trait Rating Form were used for the diagnosis and assessment of personality disorders. Pearson correlation has been used for data analysis. All statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS 16.

Results: The results indicate that there is a positive significant relationship between neuroticism (N) with emotional lability (r=0.34, P<0.01), anxiousness (r=0.286, P<0.01) and impulsivity (r=0.229, P<0.05). Also, there is a significant relationship between openness (O) and emotional lability (r=0.316, P<0.01) and risk taking (r=0.193, P<0.05), and negative relation with impulsivity (r=-0.244, P<0.01), separation insecurity(r=0.194, P<0.05), and depressivity (r=-0.19, P<0.05). In addition, results showed that there is positive significant relationship between FFM and DSM-5 personality traits with DSM-IV-TR BPD symptoms (P< 0.01).

Conclusion: Results were in line with findings from previous studies and were explained in part by considering how facets/traits of the FFM and DSM-5 personality traits map onto the concept of BPD. Also, the present study helps understand the adequacy of dimensional approach to evaluate personality pathology, specifically on Iranian sample.