Relationships between obsessive-compulsive disorder and the big five personality traits: A meta-analysis

Although several studies have examined the relationships between obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and the Big Five personality traits (i.e., neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness), the results have been inconsistent. Therefore, this meta-analysis comprehensively examined the relationships between OCD and these traits. In total, 23 studies (29 independent datasets) with 30,138 participants were analyzed. The pooled effect size was 0.34 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.28, 0.40) for neuroticism, -0.14 (95% CI: -0.18, -0.10) for extraversion, -0.04 (95% CI: -0.09, 0.02) for openness, -0.10 (95% CI: -0.16, -0.04) for agreeableness, and -0.03 (95% CI: -0.11, 0.05) for conscientiousness, indicating that OCD was associated with higher scores for neuroticism and lower scores for extraversion and agreeableness. Meta-regression and subgroup analyses indicated that heterogeneity was mainly due to differences in sample types and OCD measurement instruments. Sensitivity analysis showed that the results of the meta-analysis were robust. Overall, neuroticism was a maladaptive trait, whereas extraversion and agreeableness were adaptive traits for OCD. Although the results could be sample- and instrument-specific, our findings may inform preventions and interventions for OCD symptoms.

The underlying structure of the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5): a general factor of personality psychopathology

BACKGROUND

The psychopathology of personality is currently undergoing a paradigm shift from a categorical to a dimensional approach. This work aimed to study the underlying structure of pathological personality traits of the DSM-5 Alternative Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD). For this purpose, the internal structure of a version of the Personality Inventory for the DSM-5 (PID-5) was examined by a confirmatory factor analysis. This version assesses the five higher-order pathological personality domains (negative affectivity, detachment, antagonism, disinhibition, and psychoticism) and the 25 lower-order pathological personality facets through a reduced number of items. Four alternative models were compared: five-factor oblique; second-order (five first-order factors and one second-order factor); bifactor (five specific factors and a general factor), and one-factor.

PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE

We worked with an Argentinean sample of N = 525 subjects from the general population who answered the Argentine version of the PID-5.

RESULTS

The five-factor model was slightly superior to the second order model, and the bifactor model presented the best fit.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings, while preliminary, suggest that the PID-5 facets could reflect five specific pathological personality traits (which correspond to AMPD domains) but also a general factor (which would reflect a general propensity for psychopathology).

The Assessment of Identity Development in Adolescence (AIDA) Questionnaire: First Psychometric Evaluation in Two North American Samples of Young People

The Assessment of Identity Development in Adolescence (AIDA) is a recently developed measure of identity diffusion in young people. Originally validated in Switzerland, the English version has not yet been validated. Our aim was to evaluate the AIDA's internal factor structure, internal consistency, incremental validity, and relations to other variables in adolescents and young adults and derive clinical cutoffs for use in clinical settings. Study 1, involving 2,119 undergraduate students between the ages of 18-25 years, confirmed the expected bi-factor structure for the AIDA. Study 2 involved the recruitment of 122 adolescent inpatients (ages 12-17), of whom 36 met full DSM-based criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder, in addition to 164 adolescents of the same age, recruited from public schools (total 286 adolescents). Results of both studies demonstrated strong internal consistency and correlations of the expected magnitude and direction with other self-report measures of personality pathology. In addition, Study 2 demonstrated that the AIDA could successfully discriminate between adolescent inpatients with and without BPD, as well as healthy controls, and established preliminary clinical cutoffs that should be replicated in future studies. In all, these studies provide support for further validation and use of the AIDA in young people.

Understanding personality pathology in a clinical sample of youth: study protocol for the longitudinal research project 'APOLO'

INTRODUCTION

We propose that a dimensional, multilayered perspective is well suited to study maladaptive personality development in youth. Such a perspective can help understand pathways to personality pathology and contribute to its early detection. The research project 'APOLO' (a Dutch language acronym for Adolescents and their Personality Development: a Longitudinal Study) is designed based on McAdams' integrative three-layered model of personality development and assesses the interaction between dispositional traits, characteristic adaptations, the narrative identity and functioning.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

APOLO is a longitudinal research project that takes place in two outpatient mental healthcare centres. Participants are youth between 12 years and 23 years and their parents. Data collection is set up to build a data set for scientific research, as well as to use the data for diagnostic assessment and systematic treatment evaluation of individual patients. Measurements are conducted half-yearly for a period of 3 years and consist of self-report and informant-report questionnaires and a semistructured interview. The included constructs fit the dimensional model of personality development: maladaptive personality traits (dispositional traits), social relations, stressful life events (characteristic adaptations), a turning point (narrative identity) and functioning (eg, achievement of youth specific milestones). Primary research questions will be analysed using structural equation modelling.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The results will contribute to our understanding of (the development of) personality pathology as a complex phenomenon in which both structural personality characteristics as well as unique individual adaptations and experiences play a role. Furthermore, results will give directions for early detection and timely interventions. This study has been approved by the ethical review committee of the Utrecht University Faculty for Social and Behavioural Sciences (FETC17-092). Data distribution will be anonymous and results will be disseminated via communication canals appropriate for diverse audiences. This includes both clinical and scientific conferences, papers published in national and international peer-reviewed journals and (social) media platforms.

The relation between self-event connections and personality functioning in youth with severe psychopathology

Objective

One way in which individuals construct their narrative identity is by making self‐event connections, which are often linked to better functioning. Being unable to make connections is related to identity discontinuity and psychopathology. Work in the general population corroborates this association, but also highlights the importance of focusing on specific aspects of these connections and on vulnerable populations.

Method

We examined the association of self‐event connections with personality functioning in youth with severe psychopathology (cross‐sectional N = 228, M_age = 19.5, longitudinal N = 84), and the role of event and connection valence in the subsample of youth who made a connection (n = 188 and n = 68). Negative affectivity was controlled for in all models.

Results

We found no evidence that self‐event connections, nor connection valence and its interaction with event valence, are related to functioning. Positive event valence was associated with better functioning. Higher negative affectivity was strongly linked to lower functioning and explained the relation between event valence and functioning. No longitudinal associations emerged.

Conclusions

These findings show that for youth with severe psychopathology making self‐event connections may not be associated with better functioning. Moreover, negative affectivity may be a distal predictor of both event valence and functioning.