The Validity of the Health-Relevant Personality Inventory (HP5i) and the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory (JTCI) Among Adolescents Referred for a Substance Misuse Problem

• Published in: Journal of personality assessment Vol. 95; no. 4; pp. 398 - 406
• Main Authors: Hemphälä, Malin, Gustavsson, J. Petter, Tengström, Anders
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA Taylor & Francis Group 01-07-2013; Taylor & Francis; Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Beroendelära; Biological and medical sciences; Character; Child; Child psychology; Discriminant analysis; Drug abuse; Externalizing behaviour; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Hälso- och sjukvårdsorganisation, hälsopolitik och hälsoekonomi; Hälsovetenskap; Intelligence; Klinisk medicin; Male; Medical sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Personality; Personality disorders; Personality Inventory; Personality tests; Personality. Affectivity; Psychological tests; Psychology, Adolescent; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychometrics; Psychometrics. Diagnostic aid systems; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psykiatri; Substance abuse; Substance-Related Disorders - psychology; Techniques and methods; Teenagers; Temperament; Young Adult; Human; Impulsivity; Personality test; Questionnaire; Psychometrics; Substance abuse; Personality; Temperament; Sensation seeking; Behavioral disorder; Test validation; Adolescent; Temperament and Character Inventory Cloninger et al; Predictive validity
• ISSN: 0022-3891; 1532-7752; 1532-7752
• DOI: 10.1080/00223891.2012.735301

The aim was to study the validity of 2 personality instruments, the Health-Relevant Personality Inventory (HP5i) and the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory (JTCI), among adolescents with a substance use problem. Clinical interviews were completed with 180 adolescents and followed up after 12 months. Discriminant validity was demonstrated in the lack of correlation to intelligence in both instruments' scales. Two findings were in support of convergent validity: Negative affectivity (HP5i) and harm avoidance (JTCI) were correlated to internalizing symptoms, and impulsivity (HP5i) and novelty seeking (JTCI) were correlated to externalizing symptoms. The predictive validity of JTCI was partly supported. When psychiatric symptoms at baseline were controlled for, cooperativeness predicted conduct disorder after 12 months. Summarizing, both instruments can be used in adolescent clinical samples to tailor treatment efforts, although some scales need further investigation. It is important to include personality assessment when evaluating psychiatric problems in adolescents.