Expanding the Validity of the Level of Personality Functioning Scale Observer Report and Self-Report Versions Across Psychodynamic and Interpersonal Paradigms

ABSTRACT

The Level of Personality Functioning Scale (LPFS) operationalizes Criterion A of the DSM–5 alternative model for personality disorders. Yet, research on this measure has been slow to accumulate and questions remain regarding its reliability and validity. This study examined the LPFS observer-rated (OR) and self-report (SRA) versions of Criterion A in a sample of 240 students who provided psychological life history data and a variety of self-report measures. The results suggested the LPFS OR could be reliably coded, and the LPFS OR and LPFS SRA were significantly associated with outcome variables across psychodynamic and interpersonal paradigms. We discuss the implications of assessing personality dysfunction using the LPFS and the importance of expanding the research base for the AMPD model.

Notes

¹ Team A coded these five vignettes with good reliability (ICC single rater = .84, 95% CI [.55, .98]; ICC average rater = .96, 95% CI [.86, .99]), and the correspondence to the gold standard ratings of these cases was within one point of the expected score (M = –0.71, SD = 0.11).

² Another way to examine this is to compare the correlation between self-report and observer report identity (r = .31) to the average of all of the other correlations with identity self-report and identity observer report (r average = .15). Doing so, we see higher associations for identity, self-direction (r = .22, r average = .18), and intimacy (r = .30, r average = .16), whereas empathy is weaker than its average correlations (r = .03, r average = .09).

Additional information

Funding

Funding was provided by The Pennsylvania State University College of Liberal Arts, Superior Teaching and Research Award (2014).