Factor invariance of Cluster B psychopathology among male and female inmates and association with impulsive and violent behavior

Abstract

Our study examines the structure of Cluster B personality disorders across genders and its association with various types of impulsive and violent behavior. Using the SIDP-IV structured interview, we explored the traditional DSM-IV-TR diagnoses and the optimal EFA model of the four Cluster B diagnoses as evidenced in a random sample of 288 incarcerated men and 183 incarcerated women. Two and three factor solutions met the criteria for evaluating the fit of EFA but the three factor solution was chosen for further evaluation since it was deemed the most theoretically sound and demonstrated the best fit statistics. In testing factorial invariance of the three factor solution, the chi-square difference test revealed a significant Δχ² along with no substantial improvement in model fit, indicating that the model was not invariant across men and women. The four Cluster B diagnoses do not appear tobe distinct clinical entities but rather a set of symptoms with considerable overlap across diagnoses. Embedded in these overlapping descriptions are clear gender differences reflecting either differences in symptom endorsement, gender biases in symptom identification, or some type of dissimilarity between our male and female samples. The consistent association between the behavioral symptoms and various indices of violent behavior demonstrates that even among this extreme group, the endorsement of PD symptoms is associated with more disruptive behavior in prison and more criminally violent behavior in the community.

Keywords:

• personality disorder
• prisoners
• violence