Taxometric analysis supports a dimensional latent structure for schizotypy

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Title: Taxometric analysis supports a dimensional latent structure for schizotypy
Author(s): Rawlings, David; Williams, Ben; Haslam, Nick; Claridge, Gordon
Abstract: The existence of a discrete class of people vulnerable to schizophrenia spectrum disorders is the most replicated finding of taxometric research. Evidence for such a 'taxon' has been obtained with diverse measures of schizotypy in clinical, high-risk, and normal samples. However, recent demonstrations that skewed indicators of a latent dimension can yield a spuriously taxonic pattern of results may call some of these findings into question. Normal adults (N = 1073) completed measures of positive (perceptual aberration, magical ideation) and negative (physical and social anhedonia) components of schizotypy. Taxometric curves resembled those obtained previously, but when a simulation procedure took skew into account, dimensional models of schizotypy received stronger support than taxonic models for most schizotypy components, with findings for magical thinking inconclusive. A re-evaluation of previous taxonic conclusions regarding the latent structure of schizotypy is indicated.
Publication type: Journal article
Research centre: Swinburne University of Technology. Faculty of Life and Social Sciences
Source: Personality and Individual Differences, Vol. 44, no. 8 (Jun 2008), p. 1640-1651
Publication year: 2008
Keyword(s): Dimensionality; Psychosis proneness; Schizotypy; Taxometric analysis; Taxon
Publisher: Elsevier
ISSN: 0191-8869
Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2007.06.005
Peer reviewed