Clinical Validity of Prototype Personality Disorder Ratings in Adolescents

A growing body of research shows that personality pathology in adolescents is clinically distinctive and frequently stable into adulthood. A reliable and useful method for rating personality pathology in adolescent patients has the potential to enhance conceptualization, dissemination, and treatment effectiveness. The aim of this study is to examine the clinical validity of a prototype matching approach (derived from the Shedler Westen Assessment Procedure–Adolescent Version) for quantifying personality pathology in an adolescent inpatient sample. Sixty-six adolescent inpatients and their parents or legal guardians completed forms of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) assessing emotional and behavioral problems. Clinical criterion variables including suicide history, substance use, and fights with peers were also assessed. Patients’ individual and group therapists on the inpatient unit completed personality prototype ratings. Prototype diagnoses demonstrated substantial reliability (median intraclass correlation coefficient =.75) across independent ratings from individual and group therapists. Personality prototype ratings correlated with the CBCL scales and clinical criterion variables in anticipated and meaningful ways. As seen in prior research with adult samples, prototype personality ratings show clinical validity across independent clinician raters previously unfamiliar with the approach, and they are meaningfully related to clinical symptoms, behavioral problems, and adaptive functioning.     

The Convergent Validity between Self and Observer Ratings of Personality: A meta‐analytic review

The convergent validity between self and observer ratings of the Big Five dimensions of personality was examined by cumulating research findings across studies. The mean correlation corrected for coefficient α in self‐ratings and inter‐rater reliability in observer ratings was .46 for agreeableness (N=6359, k=53), .56 for conscientiousness (N=6754, k=58), .51 for emotional stability (N=8000, k=55), .62 for extraversion (N=7725, k=50), and .59 for openness to experience (N=5333, k=38). Results indicate that, although there is a high degree of construct overlap, both self and observer ratings have substantial unique variance. Moderator effects were analyzed. The duration of acquaintance (strangers vs close relatives) as well as observer type (peers at work vs relatives) were analyzed. Acquaintanceship had a large moderating effect whereas observer type did not moderate the level of convergence.     

Construct Validity of Multi‐Source Performance Ratings: An Examination of the Relationship of Self‐, Supervisor‐, and Peer‐Ratings with Cognitive and Personality Measures

Although more and more organizations prefer using multi‐source performance ratings or 360° feedback over traditional performance appraisals, researchers have been rather skeptical regarding the reliability and validity of such ratings. The present study examined the validity of self‐, supervisor‐, and peer‐ratings of 195 employees in a Dutch public organization, using scores on an In‐Basket exercise, an intelligence test, and a personality questionnaire as external criterion measures. Interrater agreement ranged from .28 to .38. Variance in the ratings was explained by both method and content factors. Support for the external construct validity was rather weak. Supervisor‐ratings were not found to be superior to self‐ and peer‐ratings in predicting the scores on the external measures.     

The Impact of Contextual Self‐Ratings and Observer Ratings of Personality on the Personality–Performance Relationship1

This study examined 2 possible ways of increasing the predictive validity of personality measures: using observer (i.e., supervisor and coworker) ratings and work‐specific self‐ratings of Big Five personality factors. Results indicated that among general self‐ratings of Big Five personality dimensions, Conscientiousness was the best predictor of in‐role performance, and Agreeableness and Emotional Stability were the best predictors of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Observer ratings of personality accounted for incremental variance in job performance (in‐role performance and OCB) beyond that accounted for by general self‐ratings. However, contrary to our expectations, work‐specific (i.e., contextual) self‐ratings of personality generally did not account for incremental variance in job performance beyond that accounted for by general self‐ratings.     

Brand Personality Structures in the United States and Korea: Common and Culture‐Specific Factors

The symbolic meaning of commercial brands (often called brand personality) can represent the values and beliefs of a culture. When a set of global brands were rated on the same personality attributes in the United States and Korea, 6 common dimensions of brand personality and 2 factors unique to each culture were observed. The 2 culture‐specific factors in Korea (Passive Likeableness and Ascendancy) support our general hypothesis that Korean brand personality structure carries cultural meaning, reflecting the importance of Confucian values in Korea's social and economic systems. Although their cultural meaning is less clear, the 2 unique factors (White Collar and Androgyny) that emerged in the U.S. sample suggest changing cultural values associated with occupational status and gender roles.     

Culture‐Specific Assets to Consider When Counseling Latina/o Children and Adolescents

Strength‐based cultural considerations for counseling Latina/o children and adolescents are not well articulated in the literature. Furthermore, research and demographic data indicate concerns for Latinas/os, such as acculturative stress and discrimination. This article describes treatment applications focused on Latina/o youth's cultural strengths, including family bonds, bilingual abilities, and bicultural skills. Métodos de conserjería basados en rasgos positivos de niños y adolescentes Latinos no se han articulado en la literatura. Además, las investigaciones y los datos demográficos presentan problemas con respeto a presión de acultivación, discriminación, y habilidad limitada en Ingles. Este artículo describe tratamiento centrado en los rasgos culturales positivos de la juventud Latina incluyendo enlaces de la familia, las capacidades bilingües, y las habilidades biculturales.     

The Influence of Organizational Culture on Work‐Related Personality Requirement Ratings: A multilevel analysis

The effects of organizational culture on job incumbents' ratings of work‐related personality requirements were investigated. Data collected from 270 customer service representatives working within 37 mobile phone service companies in China demonstrated significant between‐organization differences and sufficient within‐organization agreement on two dimensions of work‐related personality requirements, achievement orientation and conscientiousness, to suggest that these work‐related personality requirements can be interpreted as organizational‐level constructs. Furthermore, incumbents' ratings of the two personality requirements were positively related to two corresponding dimensions of organizational culture, achievement‐oriented culture and integrity‐oriented culture, respectively, and as predicted, both were positively associated with team‐oriented culture. Further analyses revealed that team‐oriented culture appeared to play a particularly salient role in predicting incumbents' perceptions about the importance of the two dimensions of personality requirements.     

The Validity of Assessment Centres for the Prediction of Supervisory Performance Ratings: A meta‐analysis

The current meta‐analysis of the selection validity of assessment centres aims to update an earlier meta‐analysis of assessment centre validity. To this end, we retrieved 26 studies and 27 validity coefficients (N=5850) relating the Overall Assessment Rating (OAR) to supervisory performance ratings. The current study obtained a corrected correlation of .28 between the OAR and supervisory job performance ratings (95% confidence interval .24≤ρ≤.32). It is further suggested that this validity estimate is likely to be conservative given that assessment centre validities tend to be affected by indirect range restriction.     

Dimensions of Normal and Abnormal Personality: Elucidating DSM‐IV Personality Disorder Symptoms in Adolescents

ABSTRACT The present study aimed to elucidate dimensions of normal and abnormal personality underlying DSM‐IV personality disorder (PD) symptoms in 168 adolescents referred to mental health services. Dimensions derived from the Big Five of normal personality and from Livesley's (2006) conceptualization of personality pathology were regressed on interview‐based DSM‐IV PD symptom counts. When examined independently, both models demonstrated significant levels of predictive power at the higher order level. However, when added to the higher order Big Five dimensions, Livesley's higher and lower order dimensions afforded a supplementary contribution to the understanding of dysfunctional characteristics of adolescent PDs. In addition, they contributed to a better differentiation between adolescent PDs. The present findings suggest that adolescent PDs are more than extreme, maladaptive variants of higher order normal personality traits. Adolescent PDs seem to encompass characteristics that may be more completely covered by dimensions of abnormal personality. Developmental issues and implications of the findings are discussed.     

The Relationships among Word Association Test,Objective Personality Test Scores and Ratings of Clinical Behavior in Psychiatric Patients

A 50-item word association test, selected personality scales and behavior ratings on the MACC scale were collected on 46 psychiatric in-patients. The internal structure of the word association test as well as correlations with personality inventories and behavior ratings were studied. Intra-test analysis of the association test indicates two independent dimensions, cognitive-memory disorganization and disturbances in reaction time. The cognitive-memory disturbance indices correlate with the Pa scale of the MMPI but not with the Pt, K, and MAS and only slightly with Hy. The degree of social isolation of a patient is predictable from the word association scores of cognitive-memory disruption while the personality inventory scales are better at predicting patients' arousal or tension level as rated by staff.     

Reliability and Validity of Scores From the Inventory of Drug Use Consequences

Psychometric properties of the Inventory of Drug Use Consequences (InDUC; W. M. Miller, J. S. Tonigan, & R. Longabaugh, 1995), a self‐report assessment of negative consequences associated with alcohol and other drug use, were investigated. The InDUC demonstrated sound psychometric characteristics and can be a valuable clinical tool for chemical dependency counselors.     

青少年自我描述归类与人格维度特点

对青少年自我描述的内容进行归类时发现,依据不同的归类标准会得到不同的人格结构。500多名青少年学生提供了620个不同的对自我的描述,除9个项目属于对身体和家庭状况的描述外,所有的人格特征既可以归属到中国青少年人格结构的19个二级因素,又可以归属到西方大五人格结构的30个层面。这一结果表明,外显的人格特征分类无法准确表达人格结构的实际构成,人格结构的确定还需要实证评定及对内隐结构的探索。文中还讨论了心理学研究中国化（本土化）的思路与策略。     

Personality,Gender, Age and Logical Overlap in Multi‐Source Ratings

Variations in conceptual alignment between predictors and criteria have previously been studied in respect of criterion‐related validity, but not in settings of multi‐source rating. The differential conceptual alignment perspective was applied here to account for gender and age differences in the rating of behaviour. Personality traits of sales staff were found to predict logically overlapping customer‐contact behaviours, rated either by themselves or by their supervisor. Personality traits were also associated with employees' greater over‐rating of a behaviour relative to supervisors' judgements when personality–behaviour logical overlap was stronger. Significant differences in some work behaviours were observed between men and women and between older and younger employees, and those behavioural differences were accompanied by gender or age differences in personality traits that overlapped logically with the behaviour in question. Gender or age differences in ratings of specific behaviours are thus a reflection of gender or age differences in logically associated personality features.     

Predicting DSM-IV Cluster B Personality Disorder Criteria From MMPI-2 and Rorschach Data: A Test of Incremental Validity

Despite their frequent conjoint clinical use, the incremental validity of Rorschach (Rorschach, 1921/1942) and MMPI (Hathaway & McKinley, 1943) data has not been adequately established, nor has any study to date explored the incremental validity of these tests for predicting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed. [DSM-IV]; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) personality disorders (PDs). In a reanalysis of existing data, we used select Rorschach variables and the MMPI PD scales to predict DSM-IV antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic PD criteria in a sample of treatment-seeking outpatients. The correlational findings revealed a limited relation between Rorschach and MMPI-2 (Butcher, Dahlstrom, Graham, Tellegen, & Kaemmer, 1989) variables, with only 5 of 30 correlations reaching significance (p < .05). Hierarchical regression analyses showed that both the MMPI and Rorschach data add incrementally in the prediction of DSM-IV borderline and narcissistic PD total criteria scores. The findings were less clear for the incremental value of Rorschach and MMPI-2 data in predicting the total number of DSM-IV histrionic PD criteria, which were best predicted by Rorschach data, and antisocial PD criteria, which were best predicted by MMPI-2 data. In addition to providing evidence of the incremental validity of Rorschach data, these findings also shed light on the psychological characteristics of the DSM-IV Cluster B PDs.     

The Relationship of Reliability and Validity of Personality Tests to Frame‐of‐Reference Instructions and Within‐Person Inconsistency

The efficacy of both frame‐of‐reference (FOR) instructions and a measure of within‐person inconsistency in predicting grade point average was investigated. The IPIP Big Five personality questionnaire was given to 329 students with generic instructions and ‘at school’ FOR instructions. The Wonderlic Personnel Test was also administered. A measure of within‐person inconsistency was created based on the standard deviations of responses to items within the same Big Five dimension. The validity of conscientiousness was greater when FOR instructions were given. The measure of within‐person inconsistency provided incremental validity over that of conscientiousness and cognitive ability. Additionally, within‐person inconsistency moderated the relationship between conscientiousness and performance for the participants without the FOR instructions. Practical implications are discussed.     

The Little Six Personality Dimensions From Early Childhood to Early Adulthood: Mean‐Level Age and Gender Differences in Parents' Reports

The present research pursues three major goals. First, we develop scales to measure the Little Six youth personality dimensions: Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism, Openness to Experience, and Activity. Second, we examine mean‐level age and gender differences in the Little Six from early childhood into early adulthood. Third, we examine the development of more specific nuance traits. We analyze parent reports, made using the common‐language California Child Q‐Set (CCQ), for a cross‐sectional sample of 16,000 target children ranging from 3 to 20 years old. We construct CCQ–Little Six scales that reliably measure each Little Six dimension. Using these scales, we find (a) curvilinear, U‐shaped age trends for Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Openness, with declines followed by subsequent inclines; (b) monotonic, negative age trends for Extraversion and Activity; (c) higher levels of Conscientiousness and Agreeableness among girls than boys, as well as higher levels of Activity among boys than girls; and (d) gender‐specific age trends for Neuroticism, with girls scoring higher than boys by mid‐adolescence. Finally, we find that several nuance traits show distinctive developmental trends that differ from their superordinate Little Six dimension. These results highlight childhood and adolescence as key periods of personality development.     

Assessing Level of Personality Organization With the Psychodiagnostic Chart: A Validity Study

Heterogeneity within diagnostic types and comorbidity across diagnostic groups render a specific personality disorder anything but specific, leading researchers and clinicians to increasingly focus on the general severity of personality pathology. Personality pathology severity is reflected in one's level of personality organization (LPO) and research has demonstrated that LPO is a significant predictor of treatment response. This investigation examined the reliability and validity of the Psychodiagnostic Chart (PDC) in assessing the LPO dimension of the Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual (PDM; PDM Task Force, 2006). Among a sample of 88 urban-dwelling women seeking primary medical care, the LPO dimension of the PDC received fair to good interrater reliability among 6 psychodynamic psychologists. Convergent validity was demonstrated with contrast analysis and individual correlations that yielded statistically significant associations between LPO scores and conceptually related psychodynamic variables (e.g., defensive functioning, object relations) and self-reported personality pathology scores. Support for discriminant validity was limited by the modest power associated with the sample size. Exploratory analyses examining LPO scores and measures of physical health and intimate partner violence were conducted. Our results supported the reliability, validity, and practical use of the LPO dimension of the PDC.     

Factor Structure and Criterion Validity of Secondary School Teacher Ratings of ADHD and ODD

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is currently viewed as a heterogeneous disorder with two factors: inattention and impulsivity–hyperactivity. This conceptualization of ADHD is based primarily on research with children or samples that mix children and adolescents. To examine if the 2-factor ADHD model is appropriate for adolescents and if the ADHD factors are distinct from Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) in adolescents, teacher rating data were collected for 2 samples of adolescents. The results of a confirmatory factor analysis supported the convergent and divergent validity of a model with separate but correlated factors for inattention, impulsivity–hyperactivity, and defiant behavior. Further evidence of construct validity was found when factor scores were examined relative to the criterion variables of academic performance and rule-breaking behavior. The results support the utility of teacher ratings of ADHD and ODD in the assessment of adolescents, and the applicability of the DSM-IV conceptualization of these disorders to adolescents.     

Predictive Criterion-Related Validity of Observer Ratings of Personality and Job-Related Competencies Using Multiple Raters and Multiple Performance Criteria

The purpose of this study was to assess the predictive validity of observer ratings of personality and job-related competencies in a selection setting. Based on ratings from multiple raters of both the predictors and the criteria in a sample of MBA students, results indicated that observer ratings of Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability, leadership, and interpersonal skills predicted work performance, team performance, and academic performance. For work performance and team performance, a composite of the four predictors had incremental predictive validity over general mental ability, even after controlling for how well the rater knew the ratee.