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T A Widiger

Publications and source records attributed to T A Widiger.

65 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

The MCMI and DSM-III: a brief rejoinder to Million (1985).

Millon (1985) presented eight criticisms of the article by Widiger, Williams, Spitzer, and Frances (1985) on the MCMI as a measure of DSM-III. This article is a brief rejoinder. The major point we wish to make is that one should be cautious in interpreting the MCMI as a measure of DSM-III disorders because there has not yet been any research published on the relationship between the MCMI and DSM-III. We believe this position has not been refuted by Millon's critique.

Comment↗
PubMed1986

The MMPI, prototypal typology, and borderline personality disorder.

This study demonstrates inherent features in the DSM-III diagnostic criteria for personality disorders (i.e., overlapping diagnoses and heterogeneous symptomatology) that limit efforts to identify a sensitive and specific MMPI profile for the borderline personality disorder. A sample of 71 inpatients was administered an MMPI and a semistructured interview that systematically evaluated each of 81 symptoms for the 11 DSM-III personality disorders. Interrater reliability was substantially higher than has been obtained with unstructured interviews. The effect on the borderline MMPI profile of variation in the number of borderline symptoms and overlap with the schizotypal, histrionic, and antisocial diagnoses was demonstrated. We discuss implications with respect to a prototypal model of classification.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

The DSM-III personality disorders. Perspectives from psychology.

Although psychiatry and psychology have shared an interest in the classification of personality throughout the history of both professions, the efforts of each have largely been independent, with little collaboration or communication. We attempt to bridge this gap by describing a number of research programs in psychology that have implications for the psychiatric diagnosis of personality disorders. We discuss in particular the prototypal model of categorization, the use of behavioral indicators, the identification of prototypic acts, the aggregation of behavior across time and situations, the dimensional model of classification, and the interpersonal circumplex.

Humans↗
PubMed1985

Axis II personality disorders: diagnostic and treatment issues.

The placement of personality disorders on a separate axis in DSM-III reflects increased interest in their diagnosis and treatment and encourages clinicians to consider the effects of personality style on axis I clinical syndromes. In this review of axis II personality disorders, the authors discuss methodological issues related to the diagnosis of all personality disorders, review the use of various treatment modalities, and present current issues and controversies related to specific personality disorders. They urge that any revision of DSM-III incorporate more reliable and clinically meaningful criteria, perhaps substituting a multidimensional classification system for the current categorical model.

Behavior Therapy↗
PubMed1985

The MCMI as a measure of DSM-III.

The Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI) has been interpreted as a measure of DSM-III disorders. However, the MCMI was constructed and validated primarily as a measure of Millon's (1969, 1981) taxonomy, not DSM-III. Comparison of the two taxonomies and examination of the MCMI's content validity for two of the MCMI scales indicate only a partial congruence between the Millon and DSM-III taxonomies. There has been no published empirical research concerning the relationship between the MCMI and DSM-III, and the derivation and cross-validation research for the MCMI scales employed Millon's taxonomy and not DSM-III. It is suggested that until such data have been presented one should be cautious in one's interpretation of the MCMI as a measure of DSM-III disorders.

Antisocial Personality Disorder↗
PubMed1984

Diagnostic efficiency and DSM-III.

This study critiques and extends the DSM-III use of fixed and explicit criteria by applying principles and statistics common within actuarial decision theory (eg, conditional probabilities). The value and limitations of sensitivity and specificity rates are discussed and compared with an interesting but rarely used statistic, positive predictive power. The statistics and analyses provided herein also provide an empirical method for developing diagnostic criteria and determining when and how the DSM-III cutoff points might be adjusted, recognize the importance of base rates and utilities to efficient diagnosis, and provide an explicit, quantitative means by which to make optimal differential diagnoses and to make use of the overlap among psychiatric diagnoses. The issues are illustrated in the differential diagnosis of the Borderline Personality Disorder, but they have a relevance to the development and application of the other DSM-III diagnoses.

Borderline Personality Disorder↗
PubMed1982

Psychological tests and the borderline diagnosis.

Contrary to recent optimistic claims there is no solid evidence to support the hypotheses that (a) a Borderline's Rorschach is more disturbed than a schizophrenic's, or (b) a Borderline presents disturbance on unstructured tests but not on structured tests. The group research clearly refutes the first hypothesis. The supposedly supportive research for the second hypothesis is either irrelevant, extremely weak, or refutable. Future research needs to explicate the subject sample's symptom, defense, and demographic characteristics, to estimate the base rates of the syndrome and hit rates of the test pattern in order to calculate the conditional probability of being Borderline given the test pattern, and to use a multimethod, multidiagnostic model of validation.

Borderline Personality Disorder↗
PubMed1980

Toward a construct validation of the Rorschach.

The debate over the validity of the Rorschach has been lengthy but unresolved. Major reasons for the lack of consensus and conclusion are the absence of agreement about, how validation research should be conducted and the failure to identify appropriate criteria for subsequent evaluation. A construct validation model for the Rorschach is presented, with guidelines for proper implementation. The difficulties in establishing the optimal relationship between theory, research design, and clinical practice arc discussed. Recommendations for a resolution of these difficulties are presented.

Journal Article↗