Final answer:
The DSM-5 primarily uses a categorical approach for diagnosing personality disorders, yet it also provides an alternative dimensional model for conceptualizing these disorders.
Step-by-step explanation:
The DSM-5 uses a categorical approach for diagnosing personality disorders while offering an alternative or emerging dimensional model in a separate section of the manual. In the categorical approach, a personality disorder diagnosis is based on a binary presence or absence of specific criteria, which includes a list of ten distinct personality disorders. On the other hand, the dimensional approach considers personality disorders on a spectrum, assessing the severity or degree of symptoms and traits a person exhibits. Therefore, while the DSM-5 retains its primary categorical classification, it also introduces a dimensional classification for researchers and clinicians considering an alternative conceptualization of personality disorders.