Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The general p factor, which was suggested approximately a decade ago in the literature, was derived from the idea that different psychiatric disorders might share a common underlying structure. The purpose of this review is to review current findings, addressing how the p factor has been conceptualized, the methods used to test it, and the criticisms leveled against it. This study adopted a narrative approach by reviewing the theoretical and empirical literature on the p factor. Researchers have tested the p factor structure using various factor analysis models and found that it consistently validates across samples, exhibits significant relationships with various risk factors, and predicts individuals' clinical course and functioning prospectively. However, the precise conceptual representation of the p factor remains controversial, and whether it reflects a true structure, a statistical byproduct, a common risk mechanism, or the outcome of disorders remains a matter of debate. Ultimately, this concept provides a functional framework for understanding the frequent coexistence of various disorders, predicting clinical course, and developing appropriate intervention programs. However, it seems that there is a need for assessment tools that will measure the p factor validly and reliably in order to develop the method of p factor studies, which are still in their infancy.
DOI: 10.18863/pgy.1865348
Author: Gülşen Kaynar Yaman
Institution: Ankara Medipol Üniversitesi
Language: Turkish
Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7225007289