Development and Initial Evaluation of the German Version of the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology Self-Report (HiTOP-SR)

The current classification systems for mental disorders, DSM-5 and ICD-11, have been criticized for their lack of structural validity and their arbitrary categorical distinction between mental disorders and mental health. In response, the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) consortium has emerged to propose an alternative model for conceptualizing psychopathology based on empirical correlations between dimensions of mental health problems. A major project within the consortium over the last few years has been the development of the HiTOP Self-Report (HiTOP-SR), which aims to comprehensively cover all aspects of the HiTOP model within one measure. This paper presents the German adaptation of the HiTOP-SR (including an experimental version of the harmful substance use module) and provides a detailed psychometric analysis based on a sample of 1,049 individuals from the general population, focusing primarily on structural validity. We found that the vast majority of the HiTOP-SR scales are consistent with the goal of reliably measuring a unidimensional, continuously distributed, and distinct latent construct. Furthermore, the latent structure of the HiTOP-SR scales largely preserved higher-level constructs from the current HiTOP model, albeit in slightly modified or combined forms. These findings suggest that the German adaptation of the HiTOP-SR is a well-developed self-report measure that is consistent with the methodological principles of HiTOP and provides a comprehensive multidimensional assessment of mental health problems in the general population. However, further research is needed to generalize these findings across cultures and contexts and to refine the measure for dissemination into diagnostic practice. We provide detailed recommendations for future revisions of the HiTOP-SR.