Folk Classification and Factor Rotations:Whales, Sharks, and the Problems With the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP)

The Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) uses factor analysis to group self-reported symptoms of mental illness (i.e., like goes with like). It is hailed as a significant improvement over other diagnostic taxonomies. However, the purported advantages and fundamental assumptions of HiTOP have received little, if any, scientific scrutiny. We critically evaluated five fundamental claims about HiTOP. We conclude that HiTOP does not demonstrate a high degree of verisimilitude and has the potential to hinder progress on understanding the etiology of psychopathology. It does not lend itself to theory building or taxonomic evolution, and it cannot account for multifinality, equifinality, or developmental and etiological processes. In its current form, HiTOP is not ready to use in clinical settings and may result in algorithmic bias against underrepresented groups. We recommend a bifurcation strategy moving forward in which the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is used in clinical settings while researchers focus on developing a falsifiable theory-based classification system

The Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) Is Not an Improvement Over the DSM

DeYoung and colleagues did not sufficiently address three fundamental flaws with HiTOP. First, HiTOP was created using a simple structure factor analytic approach, which does not adequately represent the dimensional space of the symptoms of psychopathology. Consequently, HiTOP is not the empirical structure of psychopathology. Second, factor analysis and dimensional ratings do not fix the problems inherent to descriptive (folk) classification; self-reported symptoms are still the basis upon which clinical judgments about people are made. Finally, HiTOP is not ready to use in real-world clinical settings. There is currently no empirical evidence demonstrating that clinicians who use HiTOP have better clinical outcomes than those who use the DSM. In sum, HiTOP is a factor analytic variation of the DSM that does not get us closer to a more valid and useful taxonomy

Development and Validation of the Delinquency Reduction Outcome Profile (DROP) in a Sample of Incarcerated Juveniles: A Multiconstruct/Multisituational Scoring Approach

The Delinquency Reduction Outcome Profile (DROP) is a novel situational-judgment test (SJT) designed to measure social decision making in delinquent youth. The DROP includes both a typical SJT scoring method, which captures the deviation of an individual response from an "ideal" expert-based response pattern, as well as a novel "Multiconstruct-Multisituational" (MCMS) factor-scoring method, enabling the assessment "in context" of latent dimensions reflecting stable decision-making tendencies. The authors present the development and validation of the DROP across 2 studies establishing its reliability and internal and concurrent validity using a sample of 1,922 young detainees and a sample of juveniles from the community. The authors also discuss the potential usefulness of the DROP as a prognostic tool to predict recidivism for delinquent youth and to monitor changes in intervention programs designed to improve social decision-making skills. Benefits of the MCMS scoring approach for SJT literature and psychological measurement are also discussed

Theory, not cultural context, will advance American psychology.

Comments on an article by J. J. Arnett (see record 2008-14338-003) regarding the assertion that American psychology focuses too narrowly on Americans while neglecting the other 95% of the world’s population. The authors agree with Arnett's call for greater attention to this issue. However, they fundamentally disagree with his position on issues related to generalizability and basic research. The goal of this comment is to provide a critical evaluation of Arnett’s primary arguments as well as to offer alternative strategies for facilitating scientific progress on cultural and diversity issues. </p

Folk Classification and Factor Rotations: Whales, Sharks, and the Problems with HiTOP

The Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) uses factor analysis to group people with similar self-reported symptoms (i.e., like-goes-with-like). It is hailed as a significant improvement over other diagnostic taxonomies. However, the purported advantages and fundamental assumptions of HiTOP have received little, if any scientific scrutiny. We critically evaluated five fundamental claims about HiTOP. We conclude that HiTOP does not demonstrate a high degree of verisimilitude and has the potential to hinder progress on understanding the etiology of psychopathology. It does not lend itself to theory-building or taxonomic evolution, and it cannot account for multifinality, equifinality, or developmental and etiological processes. In its current form, HiTOP is not ready to use in clinical settings and may result in algorithmic bias against underrepresented groups. We recommend a bifurcation strategy moving forward in which the DSM is used in clinical settings while researchers focus on developing a falsifiable theory-based classification system

The Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) Is Not an Improvement Over the DSM.

In their response to our article (both in this issue), DeYoung and colleagues did not sufficiently address three fundamental flaws with the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP). First, HiTOP was created using a simple-structure factor-analytic approach, which does not adequately represent the dimensional space of the symptoms of psychopathology. Consequently, HiTOP is not the empirical structure of psychopathology. Second, factor analysis and dimensional ratings do not fix the problems inherent to descriptive (folk) classification; self-reported symptoms are still the basis on which clinical judgments about people are made. Finally, HiTOP is not ready to use in real-world clinical settings. There is currently no empirical evidence demonstrating that clinicians who use HiTOP have better clinical outcomes than those who use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). In sum, HiTOP is a factor-analytic variation of the DSM that does not get the field closer to a more valid and useful taxonomy