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The p Factor: One General Psychopathology Factor in the Structure of Psychiatric Disorders?

Authors :
Caspi A
Houts RM
Belsky DW
Goldman-Mellor SJ
Harrington H
Israel S
Meier MH
Ramrakha S
Shalev I
Poulton R
Moffitt TE
Source :
Clinical psychological science : a journal of the Association for Psychological Science [Clin Psychol Sci] 2014 Mar; Vol. 2 (2), pp. 119-137.
Publication Year :
2014

Abstract

Mental disorders traditionally have been viewed as distinct, episodic, and categorical conditions. This view has been challenged by evidence that many disorders are sequentially comorbid, recurrent/chronic, and exist on a continuum. Using the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, we examined the structure of psychopathology, taking into account dimensionality, persistence, co-occurrence, and sequential comorbidity of mental disorders across 20 years, from adolescence to midlife. Psychiatric disorders were initially explained by three higher-order factors (Internalizing, Externalizing, and Thought Disorder) but explained even better with one General Psychopathology dimension. We have called this dimension the p factor because it conceptually parallels a familiar dimension in psychological science: the g factor of general intelligence. Higher p scores are associated with more life impairment, greater familiality, worse developmental histories, and more compromised early-life brain function. The p factor explains why it is challenging to find causes, consequences, biomarkers, and treatments with specificity to individual mental disorders. Transdiagnostic approaches may improve research.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
2167-7026
Volume :
2
Issue :
2
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Clinical psychological science : a journal of the Association for Psychological Science
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
25360393
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1177/2167702613497473