Computerized Adaptive Assessment of Personality Disorder: Introducing the CAT–PD Project

Abstract

Assessment of personality disorders (PD) has been hindered by reliance on the problematic categorical model embodied in the most recent Diagnostic and Statistical Model of Mental Disorders (DSM), lack of consensus among alternative dimensional models, and inefficient measurement methods. This article describes the rationale for and early results from an NIMH-funded, multi-year study designed to develop an integrative and comprehensive model and efficient measure of PD trait dimensions. To accomplish these goals, we are in the midst of a five-phase project to develop and validate the model and measure. The results of Phase 1 of the project—which was focused on developing the PD traits to be assessed and the initial item pool—resulted in a candidate list of 59 PD traits and an initial item pool of 2,589 items. Data collection and structural analyses in community and patient samples will inform the ultimate structure of the measure, and computerized adaptive testing (CAT) will permit efficient measurement of the resultant traits. The resultant Computerized Adaptive Test of Personality Disorder (CAT-PD) will be well positioned as a measure of the proposed DSM-5 PD traits. Implications for both applied and basic personality research are discussed.

Assessment ofDSM–5Personality Disorder

“…A common criticism of the Five-factor model (FFM), at least with respect to providing a description or assessment of personality disorders, has been that existing FFM measures have lacked fidelity for the assessment of its maladaptive variants (e.g., Krueger et al, 2011;Reynolds & Clark, 2001). This concern no longer applies, as the field now has a number of alternative measures with which to assess maladaptive variants of the FFM (e.g., De Clercq, De Fruyt, Van Leeuwen, & Mervielde, 2006;Krueger et al, 2012;Lynam, 2012;Rojas & Widiger, 2014;Simms et al, 2011).…”

“…However, a revised version of the DIPSI now includes maladaptive variants of imagination (De Fruyt & De Clercq, 2013. Simms et al (2011) developed a self-report measure of maladaptive variants of the FFM, titled the Computerized Adaptive Test-Personality Disorder (CAT-PD). The instrument includes 33 scales, such as Manipulativeness (from antagonism), Romantic Disinterest (from introversion), Exhibitionism (from extraversion), and Perfectionism (from conscientiousness).…”

The Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP): A Dimensional Alternative to Traditional Nosologies

“…Another model, the Personality PsychopathologyFive (PSY-5; Harkness & McNulty, 1994), includes the same four dimensions plus psychoticism. The most recent efforts to map personality pathology are the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5; Krueger et al, 2012) and the Computerized Adaptive Test of Personality Disorder (CAT-PD; Simms et al, 2011). They were developed independently from each other to assess personality pathology comprehensively and explicate its organization using factor analysis.…”

DSM-5 alternative personality disorder model traits as maladaptive extreme variants of the five-factor model: An item-response theory analysis.

“…At the facet level, multiple alternative structures have been pro posed within both normative (e.g., Costa & McCrae, 2010;DeYoung, Quilty, & Peterson, 2007) and pathological inventories (e.g., Livesley & Jackson, 2009;Simms et al, 2011) that differ from those explored in the present study, hi this regard, it is encouraging that the facets of the Computer Adaptive Test of Personality Disorders (CAT-PD; Simms et al, 2011) and the PID-5 line up reasonably well (Wright & Simms, 2014), but future work that focuses on the lower-order facets and how they overlap and increment each other across instruments will be critical. It is also conceivable that specific facets might be more relevant for the characterization of pathology and others more relevant for normative outcomes.…”