A cross-national validity study of the Severity Indices of Personality Problems (SIPP-118)

Objective The objective in this study was to test the validity of a new dimensional measure of maladaptive core pathology for personality disorders (PDs), the Severity Indices of Personality Problems (SIPP‐118), by comparing a Norwegian sample of 114 patients with PDs with two Dutch samples. In addition, Avoidant PD and Borderline PD were compared, and the relationship between scores on the SIPP‐118 and commonly used clinical measures were investigated. Results The results showed good psychometric properties of the SIPP‐118 at the facet level. The Norwegian PD sample had scores equal to the Dutch PD sample and significantly below the general population sample. Correlation with other clinical measures was in the low to moderate range. Conclusion The cross‐national validity of the SIPP‐118 was good, and the instrument seems promising as a dimensional instrument for measuring personality pathology. Further research should be undertaken to establish the structure of higher‐order domains, its use as a measure of therapeutic change, and its capacity to distinguish Axis II from Axis I pathology. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.