This is a great question! The DSM is now it its 5th edition (with a text revision to that). It has evolved significantly over the years - which, of course, underscores the point that this (and many many aspects in the field of psychology are not a "perfect science" so to speak and we certainly do not have it all figured out. As for Passive-Aggressive Personality Disorder (also called Negativistic Personality Disorder), it WAS one of the disorders listed in previous DSM editions (DSM-III-R), It was added to the appendix of the DSM-4 and removed entirely from the DSM-5. The committee of mental health professionals responsible for the revisions indicated that there was controversey over the diagnosis and thus it needed more research. Interestingly, the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) of the World Health Organization, which is the interntional version of the DSM included Passive Aggressive Personality Disorder in its ICD-10 edition BUT the different personality disorders in ICD-10 were replaced with a single personality disorder diagnosis in ICD-11. That edition characterized personality disorders by problems in functioning of aspects of the self (eg, identity) and/or interpersonal dysfunction (eg, managing conflict in relationships). and the severity of these.

WHEW! It's complicated! And obviously we are still struggling to figure it out.