Basic Psychometric Properties and Italian Normative Data of the DSM-5 Level 2 Anger, Anxiety, and Depression Scales, and DSM-5 Severity of Dissociative Symptoms Scale

Background: To promote the shift to a dimensional approach to diagnosis, the DSM-5/DSM-5-TR incorporates self-report dimensional measures of DSM-5 cross-cutting symptoms. Against this background, the aim of the present study is examining the basic psychometric properties of the measures and providing clinicians with Italian normative data for the DSM-5 Level 2 Anger, Anxiety, and Depression Scales, and for the DSM-5 Severity of Dissociation Symptoms Scale. Methods: Sample 1 (N = 1567) community-dwelling adult participants were administered the DSM-5 Level 2 Anger Scale, whereas Sample 2 (N = 2378) community-dwelling adult participants were administered the DSM-5 Level 2 Anxiety and Depression Scales, and the DSM-5 Severity of Dissociation Symptoms Scale. Weighted least square mean and variance adjusted confirmatory factor analyses and exploratory structural equation models were carried out to test item unidimensionality. Results: Internal consistency reliability (i.e., Cronbach’s α coefficient) values for the DSM-5 Level 2 Anger, Anxiety, and Depression Scales, and for the DSM-5 Severity of Dissociation Symptoms Scale were all adequate. Confirmatory factor analysis results supported adequate fit of the one-factor model of the DSM-5 Level 2 Anger Scale and DSM-5 Severity of Dissociation Symptoms Scale. Bifactor models of the DSM-5 Level 2 Anxiety and Depression Scales yielded adequate fit indices. Conclusions: Providing clinicians and researchers with normative data and basic psychometric properties of DSM-5 measures could be useful in order to allow for dimensional assessment of psychopathology. In turn, this may facilitate the adoption of DSM-5 Level 2 Anger, Anxiety, and Depression Scales, and the DSM-5 Severity of Dissociative Symptoms Scale in routine clinical assessment.