Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39668810›Full record

ArticleJournal of adolescence2025

Exploring the p-Factor in Adolescence: A Bifactor Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling Approach and Its Association With Emerging Personality Pathology.

Ilaria Maria Antonietta Benzi, Andrea Fontana, Nicola Carone, Lucia Sideli, Francesca Locati, Laura Parolin, Karin Ensink

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Article in Journal of adolescence, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

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3citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Ilaria Maria Antonietta BenziDepartment of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Andrea FontanaDepartment of Human Science, LUMSA University, Rome, Italy.
Nicola CaroneDepartment of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Lucia SideliDepartment of Human Science, LUMSA University, Rome, Italy.
Francesca LocatiDepartment of Humanities, University of Pavia, Milan, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-9720-009X
Laura ParolinDepartment of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.
Karin EnsinkDepartment of Psychology, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.

Funding

The author(s) received no financial support for this article's research, authorship, and/or publication.
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionTo account for the limitations of categorical taxonomies, a general psychopathology factor (p-factor) has been proposed as a transdiagnostic dimension that captures the shared variance across various forms of psychopathology. However, further research is required to clarify the specific characteristics that define the p-factor, particularly in adolescence - a period marked by heightened vulnerability to psychological disorders and significant developmental changes.

methodsThis study utilized a sample of 1366 cisgender adolescents (56% assigned female at birth, Mage = 16.25, SD = 1.44) to examine the structure of the p-factor using Bifactor Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling. The study also explored the association between the p-factor and emerging personality pathology, focusing on self and interpersonal dimensions.

resultsThe p-factor was characterized by items reflecting negative affectivity, emotional dysregulation, and behavioral problems. Greater difficulties in self-related (e.g., sense of self, self-acceptance, and goals) and interpersonal dimensions (e.g., family relationships, aggression, and sexuality) were associated with higher levels of general psychopathology. A small but significant negative association was found between the quality of peer relationships and the p-factor, suggesting a potential protective role of friendships.

conclusionsThe study highlights the multifaceted nature of the p-factor, confirming its relevance in capturing general psychological maladjustment during adolescence. The p-factor demonstrated a double-edged nature, encapsulating externalizing (e.g., impulsive behaviors, aggression) and internalizing symptoms (e.g., feelings of inadequacy and guilt). These findings provide insights into the interplay between general psychopathology and personality pathology, supporting a model that integrates self and interpersonal dimensions to understand adolescent psychopathology.

Indexed as

Adolescent BehaviorPersonality DisordersAdolescentFemaleHumansInterpersonal RelationsLatent Class AnalysisMaleSelf Conceptadolescencegeneral psychopathologypersonality pathologyp‐factor

Identifiers

PMID39668810
PMCPMC11973869

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