"[1] Cloninger's research found that low self-directedness is a major common feature of personality disorders generally.
[2] In the Temperament and Character Inventory, self-directedness consists of five subscales:[1] Researchers have suggested that a combination of low self-directedness and low cooperativeness form a general factor common to all personality disorders.
[3] Low self-directedness appears to be the most important predictor, among the TCI traits, of having a personality disorder.
The specific combination of low self-directedness, low cooperativeness, and high self-transcendence has been described as a "schizotypal personality" style by Cloninger and colleagues,[3] and has been found to be associated with high levels of schizotypy (proneness to psychotic symptoms).
[4] Low self-directedness has also been related to higher levels of hypnotic susceptibility, and the latter has also been linked to aspects of schizotypy.