Psychometric Qualities of the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology – Short Form for Adolescents

Background: A growing body of research recognizes the occurrence and validity of personality pathology during adolescence as well as its relevance as a developmental precursor of adult personality pathology. Objective: The present study recognizes the need for a comprehensive and concise instrument to assess the dimensions of personality pathology in adolescents. Therefore, the psychometric qualities of an abbreviated version of the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology Basic Questionnaire for Adolescents (DAPP-BQ-A), which has been denoted as the DAPP Short Form for Adolescents (DAPP-SF-A), were examined. Method: The factorial structure, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, discriminative validity, and classification accuracy of the DAPP-SF-A scales were examined in three samples: 1596 non-referred adolescents; 166 adolescents referred to inpatient and outpatient mental health services; and 58 referred and general population adolescents. Results: Despite a reduction in the number of items by 50% (from 290 to 144 items), the promising psychometric qualities established for the DAPP-BQ-A were replicated for the DAPP-SF-A. Conclusions: The results of this study are promising regarding the qualities of the DAPP-SF-A and its utility in both clinical and research settings. In addition, the equivalence of the instruments for adolescents and (young) adults enables the investigation of developmental trajectories across different life stages.