Further Validation of the Response Inconsistency Scale for the Personality Inventory for DSM-5.

Assessment of protocol validity is essential for structured personality tests used in clinical decision making. Measures of inconsistent responding allow researchers and clinicians to identify random or careless response patterns that compromise an accurate interpretation of test results. Keeley and colleagues (2016) developed an Inconsistency scale (INC) for the widely used Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5; Krueger, Derringer, Markon, Watson, & Skodol. 2012. Initial construction of a maladaptive personality trait model and inventory for DSM-5. Psychological Medicine, 42(9), 1879-1890.). The INC produced highly promising results in initial validation studies, and the current study provides a series of additional tests of the adaptability of the INC item pairs across different populations, translations, and versions of the PID-5. Study 1 examines the diagnostic utility of a shortened version of the original INC scale (INC-S) that can be used with the 100-item version of the PID-5; optimum cut scores are identified for this short form adaptation. Study 2 cross-validates the INC-S and compares diagnostic utility to the INC in a sample that completed the full PID-5. Study 3 examines the diagnostic utility of the INC and INC-S using a German translation of the PID-5 with undergraduates and clinical patients. Overall, these validation studies provide robust support for the INC and INC-S scales to discriminate random-generated versus real PID-5 protocols.

Stimulus Characteristics in Picture Story Exercise Cards and Their Effects on the Social Cognition and Object Relations Scale-Global Rating Method.

This study examined the effects of stimulus characteristics from the Picture Story Exercise (PSE; Smith, 1992) on the quality of social cognition and object relational functions as expressed in narrative responses. A nonclinical sample of 140 adults told stories to five PSE cards. Three trained raters scored the narratives using the Social Cognition and Object Relations Scale-Global Rating Method (SCORS-G; Stein & Slavin-Mulford, 2018). Data were then analyzed to determine the extent to which different PSE cards elicited more pathological or more adaptive ratings on the 8 SCORS-G dimensions. Results showed that different cards produced reliable and significant differences in ratings on different SCORS-G dimensions. These results extend findings of previous research (Siefert et al., 2016; Stein et al., 2014) that used the SCORS-G with Thematic Apperception Test (Murray, 1943) cards to a unique and previously unexplored stimulus set. The implications of these findings on the use and interpretation of the PSE and SCORS-G are discussed.

Personality traits and dysfunctional construal of online health promotion messages.

PURPOSE: With the Internet becoming increasingly popular as a source of information, blogs offering healthy lifestyle techniques and knowledge have become popular and accessible. Despite their focus on health, these blogs portray content that may be negatively construed by viewers, especially those with or at risk for eating disorders. The present study investigated changes in affect and self-esteem after viewing a prototypic health blog. Personality traits, specifically neuroticism and conscientiousness, were also investigated. METHODS: A prototypic health blog was constructed after extensive review of existing blogs. A parallel format was then followed to create a home décor website for a control condition. Female undergraduate students were randomly assigned to one of two blog sites, and participants completed an earlier personality assessment and post-viewing study questionnaires. RESULTS: Contrary to the hypothesis that readers of the health blog will report more negative outcomes, no main effect of blog condition was found. However, individuals high in trait neuroticism experienced greater differences in negative affect, but not self-esteem, when viewing the health blog versus the control blog. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that viewing health blogs did not have immediate effects on affect and self-esteem, but more neurotic individuals were more inclined to experience negative affect when viewing health promotion messages. Personality traits assessed prior to the experiment were more predictive of negative affect and self-esteem during the experiment than blog viewing conditions. No level of evidence, experimental study.

Personality Constructs and Paradigms in the Alternative DSM-5 Model of Personality Disorder.

The DSM-5 Section III alternative model for personality disorders (AMPD) is a personality disorder (PD) nosology based on severity of personality dysfunction and pathological traits. We examined the degree to which the personality constructs identified by McAdams and Pals (2006; dispositional traits, characteristic adaptations, narrative identity) and the paradigms of personality assessment described by Wiggins (2003; psychodynamic, interpersonal, personological, multivariate, empirical) are represented within the AMPD. Nine raters expert with the AMPD and personality evaluated elements of Criterion A and the 25 trait facets of Criterion B for presence of type and degree of personality constructs and paradigms, as well as level of inference. Criterion B showed higher rater agreement compared to Criterion A. Criteria A and B reflect different configurations of construct, paradigm, and level of inference. The characteristic adaptation construct and interpersonal paradigm were strongly reflected in both Criteria A and B. The psychodynamic and personological paradigms and the narrative identity construct were highly correlated, and the multivariate, empirical, and dispositional traits variables were highly correlated. Results illustrate differential conceptual emphases as well as areas of overlap with Criteria A and B. This characterization highlights that PD nosology rests on personality theory and suggests implications for integrative PD assessment.

On Being the Same in Different Places: Evaluating Frame-of-Reference Effects Across Two Social Contexts.

Frame-of-reference (FOR) effects in personality assessment are demonstrated when self-rated items oriented to specific contexts (e.g., workplace) show better predictive validity than noncontextualized items. Empirical support of FOR effects typically relies on job performance ratings or academic grades for criteria. The current study evaluates FOR effects using ratings of personality provided by informants from the home or school context. Items from the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI; Costa & McCrae, 1992) were contextualized to the home and school contexts to create NEO-Home and NEO-School versions. One hundred fifty-eight college students completed the NEO-Home and NEO-School questionnaires, and 161 college students completed the standard, noncontextualized NEO-FFI. All participants recruited one peer from college and at least one parent to complete standard rater versions of the NEO-FFI. Contextualized self-ratings did not show FOR effects. NEO-Home self-ratings did not correlate higher with parent ratings than with peer ratings, and NEO-School self-ratings did not correlate higher with peer ratings than with parent ratings. Standard NEO-FFI self-ratings generally showed higher self-informant agreement with both types of informants than contextualized self-ratings. The pattern of correlations suggests that validity is enhanced more by specific trait-informant combinations than by the contextualization of items to social contexts.

Construction of item-level scales from the Personality Assessment Inventory to assess levels of personality functioning.

The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) introduced the clinician-rated Levels of Personality Functioning Scale (LPFS) as an indicator of general personality functioning based on four elements: Identity, Self-Direction, Empathy, and Intimacy. Construct validation strategies were employed to select and evaluate items from the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 2007) to measure the four elements of the LPFS. In Study 1, conceptual ratings of PAI items produced lists of candidate items for the four elements. In Study 2, a sample of student respondents (n = 312) was used to select the final items for the PAI-Levels of Personality Functioning (PAI-LPF). In Study 3, a large sample of adults (n = 505) gathered using Amazon's Mechanical Turk was used to cross-validate the psychometric properties of the PAI-LPF element scales. Means, standard deviations, and coefficient alpha values are reported for the PAI-LPF total score and element scales using the PAI community adult and clinical patient normative samples. The PAI-LPF offers clinicians and researchers the ability to include the LPFS as part of a comprehensive assessment of personality and psychopathology offered by the PAI. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

A crisis in college student mental health? Self-ratings of psychopathology before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of college students was investigated in a cross-sectional design using the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 1991, 2007). Three large samples of college students were recruited for research purposes and given standard instructions: 825 students from two universities assessed in the 2021-2022 academic year (postpandemic), 558 students from three universities assessed between 2016 and 2019 (prepandemic), and 1,051 students from seven universities assessed in 1989 and 1990 (college norms). Comparisons of PAI scores with the prepandemic cohort revealed several significantly higher scores in the postpandemic cohort, especially for scales related to anxiety and depression. Comparisons with the college norms revealed significantly higher scores on several PAI scales in the prepandemic cohort, and these differences were largest for scales related to anxiety, depression, and somatic symptoms. PAI scales related to impulsivity, alcohol use, and other behavior problems showed no changes or decline from earlier to later cohorts. Taken together, the findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified problems with anxiety and depression that existed before the pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Alterations of lipid-mediated mitophagy result in aging-dependent sensorimotor defects.

The metabolic consequences of mitophagy alterations due to age-related stress in healthy aging brains versus neurodegeneration remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate that ceramide synthase 1 (CerS1) is transported to the outer mitochondrial membrane by the p17/PERMIT transporter that recognizes mislocalized mitochondrial ribosomes (mitoribosomes) via 39-FLRN-42 residues, inducing ceramide-mediated mitophagy. P17/PERMIT-CerS1-mediated mitophagy attenuated the argininosuccinate/fumarate/malate axis and induced d-glucose and fructose accumulation in neurons in culture and brain tissues (primarily in the cerebellum) of wild-type mice in vivo. These metabolic changes in response to sodium-selenite were nullified in the cerebellum of CerS1to/to (catalytically inactive for C18-ceramide production CerS1 mutant), PARKIN-/- or p17/PERMIT-/- mice that have dysfunctional mitophagy. Whereas sodium selenite induced mitophagy in the cerebellum and improved motor-neuron deficits in aged wild-type mice, exogenous fumarate or malate prevented mitophagy. Attenuating ceramide-mediated mitophagy enhanced damaged mitochondria accumulation and age-dependent sensorimotor abnormalities in p17/PERMIT-/- mice. Reinstituting mitophagy using a ceramide analog drug with selenium conjugate, LCL768, restored mitophagy and reduced malate/fumarate metabolism, improving sensorimotor deficits in old p17/PERMIT-/- mice. Thus, these data describe the metabolic consequences of alterations to p17/PERMIT/ceramide-mediated mitophagy associated with the loss of mitochondrial quality control in neurons and provide therapeutic options to overcome age-dependent sensorimotor deficits and related disorders like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Prospective prediction of college adjustment using self- and informant-rated personality traits.

Studies that relate normal personality traits to students' adjustment to college have relied heavily on self-rating methods, concurrent designs, and academic performance indicators as criteria. We conducted a prospective study of high school seniors with a follow-up assessment made near the end of their freshman year of college. Self-ratings of personality traits and college adjustment were obtained from 90 students using the revised NEO personality inventory (NEO PI-R; Costa & McCrae, 1992) and the student adaptation to college questionnaire (SACQ; Baker & Siryk, 1989 ). Ratings of personality were also obtained from parents (n = 66) and same-sex peers from the college setting (n = 78) using the NEO five-factor inventory (NEO-FFI; Costa & McCrae, 1992 ). SACQ academic adjustment was correlated with conscientiousness ratings by all three sources and with openness ratings by parents and peers. SACQ Social Adjustment was correlated with self-ratings of neuroticism and peer ratings of extraversion. SACQ personal-emotional adjustment was correlated with self-ratings and parent ratings of neuroticism. Ratings by parents and peers showed significant incremental validity over self-ratings in the prediction of certain trait-adjustment relationships.

Personality assessment screener in a primary care sample of low-income urban women.

The diagnostic efficiency of the Personality Assessment Screener (PAS; Morey, 1997) total score was evaluated using selected scales from the Patient Health Questionnaire (Spitzer, Kroenke, & Williams, 1999), the fourth edition of the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire (Hyler, 1994), and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (Saunders, Aasland, Babor, DeLaFuente, & Grant, 1993) as reference standards. Complete data were collected from 110 women seeking treatment at an urban family medicine training clinic. Total PAS scores were effective in identifying patients with mood disorders, cluster B personality disorders, and alcohol use disorders, but the optimum cut scores were higher than the cut score of 19 recommended by Morey (1997). The 10 PAS element scores showed good convergent and discriminant correlations with the reference measures. These findings support the utility of the PAS to screen for major forms of psychopathology in an urban primary care setting.

Validity of the PAI interpersonal scales for measuring the dimensions of the interpersonal circumplex.

Two studies evaluated the validity of the interpersonal scales, Dominance (DOM) and Warmth (WRM), from the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 1991, 2007) to measure the 2 dimensions of the interpersonal circumplex (IPC). In Study 1, 114 college freshmen completed the PAI and the Interpersonal Adjectives Scale (IAS; Wiggins, 1995). In Study 2, 170 college students completed the PAI and the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Short Circumplex (IIP-SC; Soldz, Budman, Demby, & Merry, 1995). The results of both studies supported the convergent validity of DOM and WRM, although discriminant validity was stronger using the IIP-SC as the criterion. Circumplex projections placed DOM and WRM in the appropriate segments of both the IAS and IIP-SC. These findings provide additional support for the validity of the PAI interpersonal scales as measures of the primary dimensions of the IPC.

Endocannabinoid Signaling for GABAergic-Microglia (Mis)Communication in the Brain Aging.

The aging brain seems to be characterized by neuronal loss leading to cognitive decline and progressively worsening symptoms related to neurodegeneration. Also, pro-inflammatory states, if prolonged, may increase neuronal vulnerability via excessive activation of microglia and their pro-inflammatory by-products, which is seen as individuals increase in age. Consequently, microglial activity is tightly regulated by neuron-microglia communications. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is emerging as a regulator of microglia and the neuronal-microglia communication system. Recently, it has been demonstrated that cannabinoid 1 (CB1) receptor signaling on GABAergic interneurons plays a crucial role in regulating microglial activity. Interestingly, if endocannabinoid signaling on GABAergic neurons are disturbed, the phenotypes mimic central nervous system insult models by activating microglia and leading to accelerated brain aging. Investigating the endocannabinoid receptors, ligands, and genetic deletions yields the potential to understand the communication system and mechanism by which the ECS regulates glial cells and aspects of aging. While there remains much to discover with the ECS, the information gathered and identified already could lead to the development of cell-specific therapeutic interventions that help in reducing the effects of age-related pro-inflammatory states and neurodegeneration.

Are implicit motives "visible" to well-acquainted others?

In this study, we compared self-ratings and informant ratings of personality as predictors of implicit motives, need for achievement (nAch), and need for affiliation (nAff). A total of 120 participants wrote creative stories to 5 images from the Picture Story Exercise (Smith, 1992) and completed the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (Costa & McCrae, 1992). Three well-acquainted informants rated each participant's personality with the Big Five Inventory (John & Srivastava, 1999) and Saucier's (1994) Mini-Markers. Consistent with the study hypotheses, peer ratings of Conscientiousness significantly predicted nAch scores after controlling for word count and self-rated Conscientiousness. Contrary to hypotheses, peer ratings and self-ratings in all 5 domains did not significantly predict nAff scores. The findings are considered in the interest of bridging the gap between trait and motive concepts in personality assessment.

Borderline personality disorder diagnosis in a new key.

BACKGROUND: Conceptualizations of personality disorders (PD) are increasingly moving towards dimensional approaches. The definition and assessment of borderline personality disorder (BPD) in regard to changes in nosology are of great importance to theory and practice as well as consumers. We studied empirical connections between the traditional DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for BPD and Criteria A and B of the Alternative Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD). METHOD: Raters of varied professional backgrounds possessing substantial knowledge of PDs (N = 20) characterized BPD criteria with the four domains of the Level of Personality Functioning Scale (LPFS) and 25 pathological personality trait facets. Mean AMPD values of each BPD criterion were used to support a nosological cross-walk of the individual BPD criteria and study various combinations of BPD criteria in their AMPD translation. The grand mean AMPD profile generated from the experts was compared to published BPD prototypes that used AMPD trait ratings and the DSM-5-III hybrid categorical-dimensional algorithm for BPD. Divergent comparisons with DSM-5-III algorithms for other PDs and other published PD prototypes were also examined. RESULTS: Inter-rater reliability analyses showed generally robust agreement. The AMPD profile for BPD criteria rated by individual BPD criteria was not isomorphic with whole-person ratings of BPD, although they were highly correlated. Various AMPD profiles for BPD were generated from theoretically relevant but differing configurations of BPD criteria. These AMPD profiles were highly correlated and showed meaningful divergence from non-BPD DSM-5-III algorithms and other PD prototypes. CONCLUSIONS: Results show that traditional DSM BPD diagnosis reflects a common core of PD severity, largely composed of LPFS and the pathological traits of anxiousness, depressively, emotional lability, and impulsivity. Results confirm the traditional DSM criterion-based BPD diagnosis can be reliably cross-walked with the full AMPD scheme, and both approaches share substantial construct overlap. This relative equivalence suggests the vast clinical and research literatures associated with BPD may be brought forward with DSM-5-III diagnosis of BPD.

Development and initial validation of a multi-domain self-report measure of work functioning.

The need for a self-report measure of work functioning that is flexible to involvement in work across 3 domains (employment, school, and home) led to the development of the Work History Inventory (WHI). The WHI was administered to 185 patients who participated in psychotherapy studies and to 110 community control respondents who were not in treatment. The WHI Total score and subscales (Performance and Interpersonal) demonstrated adequate to good reliability. WHI scores correlated moderately with symptom measures and strongly with another work functioning measure. Changes across treatment indicated that the WHI Total and Performance scores increased significantly across psychotherapy. The WHI seems to be a reliable and valid instrument for measuring treatment related changes in work functioning.

Gender differences in interpersonal complementarity within roommate dyads.

Complementarity theory proposes specific hypotheses regarding interpersonal styles that will result in successful relationships. The present study sought to extend previous research on gender differences in complementarity through the examination of same-sex peer dyads and the use of informant reports of interpersonal style. One hundred twenty participants (30 male and 30 female roommate dyads) completed interpersonal circumplex ratings of their roommates and a relationship cohesion measure. Examinations of complementarity indicate that women reported significantly more complementarity than men within their roommate dyads. However, for men and women, the closer the dyad was to perfect complementarity in terms of dominance, the more cohesive the relationship. Results are discussed in relation to gender differences in social development.

Prediction of psychotherapy process and outcome with the Personality Assessment Inventory.

The Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 1991) contains scales that were designed to make predictions about how an individual might respond to treatment, thereby allowing clinicians to attune treatment plans to a client's specific needs. The present study utilized two features of the PAI as predictors of treatment process and outcome in a sample of 47 outpatient veterans: the Treatment Rejection (RXR) scale and the Treatment Process Index (TPI). Data were collected for three treatment process and outcome measures: treatment utilization (ratio of appointments attended to appointments scheduled), therapist-rated therapeutic alliance, and symptom change over time. Results indicated that RXR significantly predicted utilization over and above the TPI. The TPI significantly predicted the rate of distress symptom decline over time, but RXR did not. Lastly, neither RXR nor the TPI were significant predictors of therapist-rated alliance.

Evaluating Circumplex Structure in the Interpersonal Scales for the NEO-PI-3.

Scales to assess the eight octants and two axes of the interpersonal circumplex (IPC) using items from the revised NEO Personality Inventory were introduced by Traupman et al. Item changes in the revised and renormed third edition of the NEO instrument (NEO-PI-3) have affected item content in all eight octant scales, underscoring the need to reexamine the IPC scales. The current study examines the circumplex structure of the revised octant scales in the NEO-PI-3 and their correlations with the Dominance and Warmth scales of the Personality Assessment Inventory in 568 undergraduate students. The data show perfect fit to circumplex structure, suggesting equivalent or better assessment of the IPC with the NEO-PI-3 octant scales. Convergence of the eight octants with the Personality Assessment Inventory interpersonal scales further supports their saturation with interpersonal content and appropriate location within the IPC.

Evaluation of a partially de-oiled microalgae product in nursery pig diets.

Although microalgae can be used as a source of energy and macronutrients in pig diets, there is limited information on the use of partially de-oiled microalgae coproducts in swine feeding programs. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of a partially de-oiled microalgae extract (MAE) in nursery pig diets on growth performance and health status. A total of 300 pigs (initial BW = 6.3 ± 2.1 kg) were used in a 42-d experiment. Treatments included a standard corn-soybean meal control diet, and diets containing 1, 5, 10, or 20% MAE replacing primarily corn. The ME content of MAE was calculated from the chemical composition, and diets were formulated to meet or exceed nutrient requirements for nursery pigs. Pigs were stratified by weaning BW into 12 blocks in a randomized complete block design, with sex distributed evenly among blocks. Pens of pigs (5 pigs/pen) were assigned randomly within block to one of five dietary treatments. Pig BW and feed disappearance were recorded weekly. On day 42, 30 pigs were harvested and sections of the jejunum and ileum were collected for gut morphology analysis, and a liver sample was collected for metabolomic analysis using liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Data were analyzed by ANOVA with diet as treatment effect, and contrasts were used to test linear or quadratic effects of dietary MAE inclusion level. Overall, pigs fed 1% and 5% MAE had the greatest (quadratic P < 0.05) ADG, resulting from greater (quadratic P < 0.05) ADFI. There was a tendency for a greater number of pigs requiring injectable treatments (P = 0.16) and a greater mortality (P = 0.14) in pigs fed the control diet than pigs in any of the diets with the MAE. Final BW increased (P < 0.05) for pigs fed 1% and 5% MAE diets. The improvements in ADG were not explained by differences in mucosa height or goblet cell count among dietary treatments. Pigs fed diets containing 1% or 5% MAE had relatively less concentration (P < 0.05) of ammonia in the liver and had changes in metabolites associated with the urea cycle. In conclusion, feeding MAE resulted in increased growth responses and may have beneficial health effects when fed to nursery pigs.