Comprehensive Assessment of Traits relevant to Personality Disorder (CAT-PD)

The Comprehensive Assessment of Traits relevant to Personality Disorder (CAT-PD) was born from a federally funded project designed to develop a comprehensive model and efficient measure of traits related to personality pathology. The model includes 33 facet traits of personality pathology, which can be represented within a broader PSY-5 structure of personality traits (Wright & Simms, 2014), consistent with the Alternative Model of Personality Disorder (AMPD) in DSM-5.

There currently are several forms of the CAT-PD measure. The most widely used version of the CAT-PD is the 216-item static form, which measures all 33 traits with strong evidence of reliability and validity. A 246-item expanded form includes three validity scales designed to assess inconsistent responding, over-reporting, and under-reporting. An semi-structured interview also exists for the CAT-PD traits (available soon), as does an informant form of the measure. The original CAT-PD was built as a computerized adaptive test, but that version no longer is in use, as most researchers and clinicians have opted to use the static form. These measures are available for researchers and clinicians to use, free of charge.

CAT-PD Scales, organized by conceptual PSY-5 domain

Negative Emotionality: Affective Lability, Anger, Anxiousness, Depressiveness, Self-harm, Mistrust, Submissiveness, Relationship Insecurity, Cognitive Problems, Health Anxiety

Detachment: Anhedonia, Exhibitionism, Social Withdrawal, Emotional Detachment, Romantic Disinterest

Antagonism: Callousness, Manipulativeness, Grandiosity, Domineering, Norm Violation, Hostile Aggression, Rudeness

(Dis)Constraint: Non-Premeditation, Non-Perseverance, Risk Taking, Irresponsibility, Perfectionism, Workaholism, Rigidity

Psychoticism: Unusual Beliefs, Unusual Experiences, Fantasy Proneness, Peculiarity

Validity Scales: Inconsistency, Infrequency, and Positive Impression Management