Exploring the Relationship Between Inhibitory Control and Externalizing Personality Traits Cognition and Personality in the Context of HiTOP

Abstract

Abstract The Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) is an alternative classification model for the Diagnostical Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM; American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Even though HiTOP was created to answer the limitations of the DSM, HiTOP itself lacks to answer aetiological questions, since the underlying dynamic interactions of different psychological concepts in patients still are not fully understood. Therefore, this study aims to explore the relationship between a cognitive measure, being inhibitory control, and externalizing personality traits, which is included in further detail in the HiTOP model. The sample consisted of 505 in- and outpatients (Mage = 37.67, 62.4% men). Two multiple linear regression analysis were conducted with age, intelligence (IQ) and inhibitory control (Stroop Colour Word Test) as predictors, and externalizing personality traits as dependent variables. Both models fitted the data poorly (R2 = 0.074; R2 = 0.038). Results indicated that lower inhibitory control (thus a higher Stroop score) was related to both higher disinhibited as well as higher antagonistic externalizing personality traits. Age was negatively related to disinhibited as well as antagonistic externalizing personality traits. IQ was positively related to disinhibited externalizing personality traits and negatively related to antagonistic externalizing personality traits. Because of the exploratory nature of this study, these results need to be interpreted with caution. Nevertheless, the results do suggest a relationship between inhibitory control and externalizing personality traits. It is discussed that this relationship needs to be further studied to clarify their contribution to the aetiology of psychopathology in context of HiTOP.