Screening for personality disorders in a nonclinical population

Based on the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP), the IIP-PD and the IIP-C screening scales were developed to distinguish personality disorder ( PD) from non-PD and Cluster C from other PD, respectively, in a clinic popu lation. Two studies were conducted to determine (a) validity and reliabilit y of these IIP scales for PD screening in a nonclinical population, (b) spe cificity of IIP-C for identifying Cluster C, and (c) usefulness of the IIP scales for screening Cluster A. College students were screened using the II P scales (Study 1, N = 454, Study 2, N = 87), High and low scorers complete d PD-related questionnaires in Study 1 and a clinical interview for PD symp tomatology in Study 2, Results indicated strong test-retest reliability, in ternal consistency, and factorial, convergent, and external validity. The s cales tapped a common deficit in interpersonal relatedness, with some disti nction between externalizing and internalizing dimensions, respectively, an d both scales were positively and significantly associated with schizotypal traits. In conclusion, the IIP-PD and IIP-C are useful and valid screening instruments for identifying any versus no PD in nonclinical populations