The current study examined the consistency of this structure in a representative sample of 1837 prisoners through structural equation modeling of 10 common mental disorders along with a record-based index of antisocial behavior.
Diagnoses were determined by administration of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview 2.1. Data were analyzed via tetrachoric correlations using the weighted least squares estimator in exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses.
Results revealed that a two-factor solution, entailing correlated internalizing and externalizing factors, displayed the best fit to the data.
This study provides additional support for characterizing common psychopathology in terms of internalizing and externalizing factors.