A General Factor of Personality (GFP) in the personality disorders: Three studies of the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology - Basic Questionnaire (DAPP-BQ)

Abstract

We used structural equation modeling to test the hypothesis that a General Factor of Personality (GFP) occupies the apex of the hierarchy of personality disorders in three validation samples of the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology - Basic Questionnaire (DAPP-BQ). In a general population sample ( N = 942), we found a GFP explained 34% of the variance in four first-order factors and 33% of the variance in all 18 scales. In a twin sample ( N= 1,346), a GFP explained 35% of the variance in four first-order factors and 34% of the variance in all 18 scales. In a clinical sample ( N = 656), a GFP explained 34% of the variance in four first-order factors and 30% of the variance in all 18 scales.