Correlates of externalizing psychopathology in incarcerated men

Externalizing traits are extremely costly for society and disproportionately prevalent among incarcerated individuals. The Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) is an empirically derived classification system that approaches psychopathology dimensionally and was developed in response to critiques of current diagnostic classification systems. The Externalizing Spectrum Inventory-100 item version (ESI-100) is an assessment of externalizing problems that fits within the HiTOP framework and characterizes dimensional externalizing traits. The present study aimed to replicate prior research examining the convergent validity of the ESI Total Score by examining associations with psychopathy, conduct disorder, and substance use among incarcerated males. A total of 1,808 participants had ESI-100 data, although sample sizes across criterion measures varied. The majority of results replicated relationships between the ESI 159-item version and externalizing disorders and negative emotionality. Less is known about the dimensional relationships between externalizing traits as measured by the ESI-100 and internalizing disorders and symptoms, and other correlates of externalizing. The study extended previous results by examining associations between the ESI-100 and internalizing disorders, impulsivity, childhood trauma, and emotion regulation (ER) as a test of discriminant validity. Analyses revealed associations between the ESI-100 and childhood trauma, impulsivity, emotion regulation difficulties, and symptoms (but not diagnoses) of internalizing disorders. These results enhance our understanding of dimensional traits of externalizing and suggest nuanced relationships between externalizing and internalizing traits. Results have important implications (e.g., transdiagnostic treatment targets) for treatment of mental health disorders by highlighting the importance of cross-diagnostic treatment approaches. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

The distribution of daily affect distinguishes internalizing and externalizing spectra and subfactors

There has been increasing recognition that classically defined psychiatric disorders cluster hierarchically. However, the degree to which this hierarchical taxonomy manifests in the distribution of one's daily affective experience is unknown. In 462 young adults, we assessed psychiatric symptoms across internalizing and externalizing disorders and then used cell-phone-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to assess the distribution (mean, standard deviation, skew, kurtosis) of one's positive and negative affect over 3-4 months. Psychiatric symptoms were modeled using a higher-order factor model that estimated internalizing and externalizing spectra as well as specific disorders. Individualized factor loadings were extracted, and path models assessed associations between spectra and syndromes, and daily affect. Internalizing and externalizing spectra displayed broad differences in the distribution of affective experiences, while within the internalizing spectrum, syndromes loading onto fear and distress subfactors were associated with distinct patterns of affective experiences. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Personality traits across the psychosis spectrum: A Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology conceptualization of clinical symptomatology

Psychotic disorders have varied clinical presentations, diagnostic stability is poor and other mental disorders often co-occur with the conditions. To improve the clinical and pathophysiological utility of classification systems for psychosis, it is necessary to consider how symptoms may reflect dimensions of psychopathology that extend beyond the boundaries of traditional diagnostic classifications. We examined personality deviation as a means for explaining symptom variation across individuals with serious mental illness. Participants (N = 312) with psychosis, first-degree biological relatives and healthy controls underwent comprehensive clinical evaluations that included symptom ratings and Diagnostic Statistical Manual consensus diagnoses. They completed the Personality Inventory for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (PID-5), which provides multidimensional assessment of personality disturbances and characterizes psychosis-relevant phenomena, and the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ), a widely accepted measure of schizotypal traits. PID-5 was comparable with SPQ in differentiating between participants with and without psychosis. Greater psychotic symptomatology and higher scores on the SPQ Cognitive-perceptual dimension were associated with higher scores on PID-5 Psychoticism. Facet-level traits showed diverse associations with existing clinical syndromes, suggesting they have utility for quantifying separable symptom dimensions that cut across existing disorders. Yet the patient groups were similar across four of the five PID-5 personality trait domains, indicating shared patterns of personality expression that challenge existing categorical delineations. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Enhancing Psychosis-Spectrum Nosology Through an International Data Sharing Initiative

The latent structure of schizotypy and psychosis-spectrum symptoms remains poorly understood. Furthermore, molecular genetic substrates are poorly defined, largely due to the substantial resources required to collect rich phenotypic data across diverse populations. Sample sizes of phenotypic studies are often insufficient for advanced structural equation modeling approaches. In the last 50 years, efforts in both psychiatry and psychological science have moved toward (1) a dimensional model of psychopathology (eg, the current Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology [HiTOP] initiative), (2) an integration of methods and measures across traits and units of analysis (eg, the RDoC initiative), and (3) powerful, impactful study designs maximizing sample size to detect subtle genomic variation relating to complex traits (the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium [PGC]). These movements are important to the future study of the psychosis spectrum, and to resolving heterogeneity with respect to instrument and population. The International Consortium of Schizotypy Research is composed of over 40 laboratories in 12 countries, and to date, members have compiled a body of schizotypy- and psychosis-related phenotype data from more than 30000 individuals. It has become apparent that compiling data into a protected, relational database and crowdsourcing analytic and data science expertise will result in significant enhancement of current research on the structure and biological substrates of the psychosis spectrum. The authors present a data-sharing infrastructure similar to that of the PGC, and a resource-sharing infrastructure similar to that of HiTOP. This report details the rationale and benefits of the phenotypic data collective and presents an open invitation for participation.