Evidence for the Continuous Latent Structure of Mania in the Epidemiologic Catchment Area from Multiple Latent Structure and Construct Validation Methodologies

摘要

BackgroundAlthough psychiatric diagnostic systems have conceptualized mania as a discrete phenomenon, appropriate latent structure investigations testing this conceptualization are lacking. In contrast to these diagnostic systems, several influential theories of mania have suggested a continuous conceptualization. The present study examined whether mania has a continuous or discrete latent structure using a comprehensive approach including taxometric, information-theoretic latent distribution modeling (ITLDM), and predictive validity methodologies in the Epidemiologic Catchment Area (ECA) study.