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Original Article

The Hierarchical Structure of Work-Related Maladaptive Personality Traits

Published Online:January 01, 2015https://doi.org/10.1027/1015-5759/a000209

Abstract

A brief pathological personality measure, the G-50, was designed to study substantive developments from clinical psychology in occupational settings. Responses to item-pools assessing DSM-5 domain traits were collected from 696 working adults in England, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland. Exploratory factor analyses supported a structure comprised of Antagonism, Compulsivity, Detachment, Negative Affect, Disinhibition, and Psychoticism. Gender differences were observed following invariance analyses while five-factor indicators projected into latent space defined by pathological indicators revealed each big five construct related to multiple pathological traits. Latent profile analyses revealed a maladaptive class that experienced worse outcomes on a range of job performance and health indicators. Support for a hierarchical structure was observed where domain traits are lower order indicators of internalizing and externalizing factors. Mixed evidence for a generalized psychopathology factor was observed. Because lower-level maladaptive traits are described in the organizational sciences as “Dark,” we describe this generalized psychopathology factor as “Black.”

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