Disentangling unity from diversity in developmental psychopathology

Abstract

Developmental psychopathology has been a fruitful space for the investigation of the validity of multidimensionality. Nonetheless, previous studies in the field have not tested a model with a fine-grained division within the internalizing and externalizing spectra that also accounts for the contribution of a general psychopathology factor. The aim of this study is to test the validity and reliability of a theoretically-driven bifactor model with one general dimension and ten specific dimensions of psychopathology: fear, somatic complaints, distressful thoughts, low mood, low motivation/energy, inattention-hyperactivity, temper loss, aggression, noncompliance, and low concern for others. Our study evaluated 2,511 children aged 6-14 years-old from the Brazilian High-Risk Cohort for Psychiatric Disorders. There was support for the model in terms of its fit to the data, reliability, and external validity. Our findings highlight the potential of combined fine-grained approaches with models disentangling unity from diversity in developmental psychopathology.