Open AccessTaxometric analyses in psychological research and in classification of mental disorders
Author(s) -
Milan Dragović
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
psihologija
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.222
H-Index - 16
eISSN - 1451-9283
pISSN - 0048-5705
DOI - 10.2298/psi0604439d
Subject(s) - diathesis , covariance , psychology , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , mode (computer interface) , latent variable , diathesis–stress model , value (mathematics) , psychiatry , mathematics , medicine , computer science , statistics , medical tourism , tourism , political science , law , immunology , operating system
The issue of whether manifest psychological variables comprise a latent taxonic or dimensional structure is essential to the contemporary psychology and psychiatry. Fortunately, this issue can be adequately addressed by using several taxometric procedures, all developed over the last few decades. This paper describes five of the most commonly used analyses, as follows: Mean-Above-Mean-Below-A-Cut (MAMBAC), Maximum Covariance (MAXCOV), Maximum Eigen-Value, (MAXEIG), Latent Mode (L-Mode), and Maximum Slope (MAXSLOPE). In addition, this paper briefly outlines Paul Meehl’s diathesis-stress model of schizophrenia and highlights the practical importance of taxometric procedures in both contemporary psychology and in the classification of psychiatric disorders