The development of factor analysis is uniquely situated within psychology, and the development of many psychological theories and measures are likewise tethered to the common use of factor analysis. In this paper, we review modern methodological controversies and developments through concrete demonstrations of how to use factor analytic methods across the exploratory-confirmatory continuum. We illustrate best practices for working through common challenges in personality disorders research. To help researchers conduct risker tests of their theory-implied models, we review what factor analysis is and is not, as well as some dos and don’ts for engaging in the process of model evaluation and selection. Throughout, we also emphasize the need for closer alignment between factor models and our theories, as well as clearer statements about which criteria would support or refute the theories being tested. Consideration of these themes appears promising in terms of advances in theory, research, and treatment surrounding the nature and impact of personality disorders.
Impulsivity and excitement seeking are distinctly associated with alcohol use and related problems in emerging adulthood. Specifically, impulsivity is associated with alcohol problems, while excitement seeking is associated with quantity and frequency of alcohol use (Finn, 2002; Gunn et al., 2013). Given how critical these traits are to alcohol use disorder, such that they play central roles in prominent theories such as Finn’s (2002) cognitive motivational theory (CMT), we examined how impulsivity, excitement seeking, and related constructs were captured by an instrument used in clinical practice, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory–3 (MMPI-3; Ben-Porath & Tellegen, 2020a, 2020b). In a sample of 401 college students, we investigated MMPI-3 scales representing the CMT constructs—impulsivity/novelty seeking, excitement seeking, and low harm avoidance—by examining correlations between MMPI-3 Specific Problem scales and theoretically relevant criterion measures. Then, we used these scales to predict alcohol-related outcomes. Impulsivity (IMP), Social Avoidance (SAV), and Anxiety-Related Experiences (ARX) scales captured the core CMT constructs that are said to reflect personality-based vulnerabilities to alcohol-related problems. Further, Impulsivity and Social Avoidance scales incremented the Substance Abuse (SUB) scale in predicting risky drinking outcomes (alcohol problems and quantity and frequency of use). Overall, results support the use of select MMPI-3 scales in providing a nuanced assessment of personality-based vulnerabilities in college-aged drinkers.
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