title: 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.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry, Research Centre for Adolescent Psycho-Social Health, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Sweden. malin.hemphala@sll.se
authors.forename: Malin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hemphälä
authors.forename: J Petter
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Gustavsson
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tengström
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002605:Character; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D011594:Psychometrics; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D013694:Temperament; D055815:Young Adult