Syndromes of self-reported psychopathology for ages 18-59 in 29 societies

This study tested the multi-society generalizability of an eight-syndrome assessment model derived from factor analyses of American adults' self-ratings of 120 behavioral, emotional, and social problems. The Adult Self-Report (ASR; Achenbach and Rescorla 2003) was completed by 17,152 18-59-year-olds in 29 societies. Confirmatory factor analyses tested the fit of self-ratings in each sample to the eight-syndrome model. The primary model fit index (Root Mean Square Error of Approximation) showed good model fit for all samples, while secondary indices showed acceptable to good fit. Only 5 (0.06%) of the 8,598 estimated parameters were outside the admissible parameter space. Confidence intervals indicated that sampling fluctuations could account for the deviant parameters. Results thus supported the tested model in societies differing widely in social, political, and economic systems, languages, ethnicities, religions, and geographical regions. Although other items, societies, and analytic methods might yield different results, the findings indicate that adults in very diverse societies were willing and able to rate themselves on the same standardized set of 120 problem items. Moreover, their self-ratings fit an eight-syndrome model previously derived from self-ratings by American adults. The support for the statistically derived syndrome model is consistent with previous findings for parent, teacher, and self-ratings of 11/2-18-year-olds in many societies. The ASR and its parallel collateral-report instrument, the Adult Behavior Checklist (ABCL), may offer mental health professionals practical tools for the multi-informant assessment of clinical constructs of adult psychopathology that appear to be meaningful across diverse societies

Personality traits, life events and psychopathological disorders related to suicide ideation among undergraduate students

Objectif. L’idéation suicidaire est la première étape dans la spirale infernale du comportement suicidaire. Pour mieux prévenir l’idéation suicidaire, le but de notre étude est d’investiguer ses prédicteurs chez des étudiants de licence : traits de personnalité, stress lié aux événements devie, troubles psychopathologiques, estime de soi, satisfaction de la vie et relations interpersonnelles.Méthode. L’étude s’est déroulée { l’Université Paris Ouest Nanterre la Défense entre 2008 et 2010, et nous avons recueilli les données auprès d’un échantillon de 855 étudiants (âge moyen de 23 ans, écart-type de 5,5 ans; H = 198, F = 657) provenant de plusieurs filières de licence, mais avec une forte surreprésentation de la filière de psychologie (n=614). Nous avons utilisé une batterie d’instruments pour mesurer les variables cibles.Résultats. Les résultats des analyses en pistes causales avec médiation montrent que seulementquelques variables prédictrices expliquent plus de la moitié de la variance de l’idéation suicidaire (52%). Les prédicteurs les plus efficaces en termes de significativité sont l’agréabilité (β entre -0,06 à -0,18), l’estime de soi (β entre -0,08 à -0,52), la présence de l’anxiété-l’insomnie (β entre 0,17 { 0,37), le dysfonctionnement social (β entre 0,09 { 0,23), le trait d’être renfermé (en retrait, introverti) (β entre 0,08 { 0,29), les troubles de pensée (β entre 0,16 { 0,40) et le comportement transgressif (β entre 0,14 { 0,31).Discussion. Malgré les limitations de notre étude, nous constatons qu’un petit nombre de prédicteurs expliquent une variance importante de l’idéation suicidaire et que les prédicteurs ne se comportent pas de façon identique pour les différents sous-groupes ; hommes/femmes, appartenance à la filière psychologie/autres.Objective. Suicide ideation is the first stage that leads to the vicious circle of suicidal behaviours.Thus, the objective of our research is to investigate the association between suicide ideation andits predictor variables (personality traits, stress related to life events, psychopathological disorders, self esteem, satisfaction with life and interpersonal relationships) amongst undergraduate university students.Method. This study was conducted at the Université Paris Ouest Nanterre la Défence between2008 and 2010. We have collected data from a sample of 855 students (average age of 23 yearsand standard deviation of 5 years and 6 months; M = 198, F = 657) composed of different disciplines but with an overrepresentation of psychology undergraduates (n = 614 with an average age of 23 years; σ = 6). We used a battery of instruments to measure the variables of interest.Results. The results of path analysis show that only a few predictor variables explain more than half of the variance in suicidal ideation (52%). The most effective predictors in terms of significance are: agreeableness (β between -0.06 to -0.18), self-esteem (β between -0.08 to -0.52), comorbidity of anxiety-insomnia (β between 0.17 to 0.37), social dysfunction (β between 0.09 to 0.23), withdrawal (β between 0.08 to 0.29), thought disorders (schizophrenia) (β between 0.16 to 0.40) and rule breaking behaviour (β between 0.14 to 0.31). Discussion. In spite of the limitations of our study, we have found that a relatively small number of predictors explains a significant amount of variance in predicting suicidal ideation. Moreover, predictor variables are not identical for different subgroups

Structure factorielle et qualités psychométriques de la version française du questionnaire d'auto-description pour adultes (adult self-report) d'Achenbach et Rescorla

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Cultural contributions to adults' self-rated mental health problems and strengths: 7 culture clusters, 28 societies, 16 906 adults

BACKGROUND: It is unknown how much variation in adult mental health problems is associated with differences between societal/cultural groups, over and above differences between individuals. METHODS: To test these relative contributions, a consortium of indigenous researchers collected Adult Self-Report (ASR) ratings from 16 906 18- to 59-year-olds in 28 societies that represented seven culture clusters identified in the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavioral Effectiveness study (e.g. Confucian, Anglo). The ASR is scored on 17 problem scales, plus a personal strengths scale. Hierarchical linear modeling estimated variance accounted for by individual differences (including measurement error), society, and culture cluster. Multi-level analyses of covariance tested age and gender effects. RESULTS: Across the 17 problem scales, the variance accounted for by individual differences ranged from 80.3% for DSM-oriented anxiety problems to 95.2% for DSM-oriented avoidant personality (mean = 90.7%); by society: 3.2% for DSM-oriented somatic problems to 8.0% for DSM-oriented anxiety problems (mean = 6.3%); and by culture cluster: 0.0% for DSM-oriented avoidant personality to 11.6% for DSM-oriented anxiety problems (mean = 3.0%). For strengths, individual differences accounted for 80.8% of variance, societal differences 10.5%, and cultural differences 8.7%. Age and gender had very small effects. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, adults' self-ratings of mental health problems and strengths were associated much more with individual differences than societal/cultural differences, although this varied across scales. These findings support cross-cultural use of standardized measures to assess mental health problems, but urge caution in assessment of personal strengths

Cultural contributions to adults' self-rated mental health problems and strengths: 7 culture clusters, 28 societies, 16 906 adults

Abstract: Background It is unknown how much variation in adult mental health problems is associated with differences between societal/cultural groups, over and above differences between individuals. Methods To test these relative contributions, a consortium of indigenous researchers collected Adult Self-Report (ASR) ratings from 16 906 18- to 59-year-olds in 28 societies that represented seven culture clusters identified in the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavioral Effectiveness study (e.g. Confucian, Anglo). The ASR is scored on 17 problem scales, plus a personal strengths scale. Hierarchical linear modeling estimated variance accounted for by individual differences (including measurement error), society, and culture cluster. Multi-level analyses of covariance tested age and gender effects. Results Across the 17 problem scales, the variance accounted for by individual differences ranged from 80.3% for DSM-oriented anxiety problems to 95.2% for DSM-oriented avoidant personality (mean = 90.7%); by society: 3.2% for DSM-oriented somatic problems to 8.0% for DSM-oriented anxiety problems (mean = 6.3%); and by culture cluster: 0.0% for DSM-oriented avoidant personality to 11.6% for DSM-oriented anxiety problems (mean = 3.0%). For strengths, individual differences accounted for 80.8% of variance, societal differences 10.5%, and cultural differences 8.7%. Age and gender had very small effects. Conclusions Overall, adults' self-ratings of mental health problems and strengths were associated much more with individual differences than societal/cultural differences, although this varied across scales. These findings support cross-cultural use of standardized measures to assess mental health problems, but urge caution in assessment of personal strengths