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Dimensional versus categorical classification of prototypic and nonprototypic cases of personality disorder
Author(s) -
Sprock June
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/jclp.10184
Subject(s) - categorical variable , psychology , inter rater reliability , personality , conceptualization , clinical psychology , reliability (semiconductor) , developmental psychology , statistics , social psychology , rating scale , artificial intelligence , power (physics) , physics , mathematics , quantum mechanics , computer science
This study examined interrater reliability and ratings of confidence and clinical utility (professional communication, case conceptualization, treatment planning) of categorical and dimensional approaches to diagnosing prototypic and nonprototypic personality disorder cases. Two national samples of psychologists ( n = 93, n = 92) participated. Interrater reliability was higher for prototypic cases than nonprototypic cases for the categorical system, but similar for prototypic and nonprototypic cases using dimensional ratings. Across cases, interrater reliability and confidence were highest for the categorical model, hybrid models, and the five‐factor model. However, ratings of clinical utility were highest for the categorical and the hybrid models, even when interrater reliability was inadequate, suggesting clinician preference for a classification based on the existing categories. Mean ratings for the prototypic cases supported the theorized relationships between the dimensional models and the personality disorders. Reasons for these findings and implications for moving towards a dimensional model of personality disorder are discussed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol.