Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology – Basic Questionnaire (DAPP-BQ)

Best For:

• Psychologists who want to assess and treat personality disorders (Axis II of the DSM-5)
• Identifying a dimensional profile of personality that can facilitate treatment planning for various psychological disorders
• Research on emerging topics in personality and psychopathology
• Online administration with a comprehensive report

What is the DAPP-BQ?

The Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology – Basic Questionnaire (DAPP-BQ) is a revolutionary clinical measure supported by over 15 years of empirical research. It employs a dimensional structure that is consistent with current approaches to classifications of personality disorder. It was designed to assess and help treat personality disorders along the full continuum – from mild to extreme trait manifestations. The DAPP-BQ has been translated into several languages and capitalizes on emerging research that supports a dimensional approach to measuring personality pathology. The report provides primary trait scores on 18 scales and delivers specific trait information to assist with clinical diagnosis and treatment planning.

Why Should I Use the DAPP-BQ?

SUPPORT FOR A DIMENSIONAL MODEL. Problems with the current categorical approach to diagnosing Axis II personality disorders suggest the need for an empirically sound and superior method of assessing personality pathology. Clinicians using the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria often encounter mixed diagnoses, loss of information, and lack of clear and adequate coverage. The highly anticipated DAPP-BQ offers an improved dimensional model that has generated a great deal of support from the clinical research community.

RELIABLE AND VALID. The DAPP-BQ is a reliable and valid measure of personality pathology. Internal consistency reliabilities for the 18 scales range from .85 to .94 (general population sample) and .84 to .95 (clinical sample). Convergent validity has been established with other measures of personality pathology, normal personality, interview ratings, and self-report ratings. Norms are available for both general population (N=2,726) and clinical (N=656) samples.

INTERPRETIVE POWER. The DAPP-BQ is a valuable tool for predicting outcomes and selecting interventions. It provides an enhanced understanding of behaviours and symptoms by clarifying defining features of personality disorder to reduce diagnostic overlap. Results not only help clinicians understand, classify, and treat personality disorders, but also facilitate treatment using adaptive personality traits for a balanced approach. Results can also help individuals understand their behaviour, link past events, identify recurring patterns, and anticipate problems.

CONVENIENT. Administration takes 35-50 minutes on SIGMA’s online platform – SigmaTesting.com. Reports are generated immediately. Results are presented using graphs, raw scores, standardized scores, scale descriptions, and administrative indices. Paper-and-pencil administration is available in combination with SIGMA’s hand-scoring, fax-in, or mail-in scoring solutions. Software administration is also available.

Administration Overview

Qualification Level: C
Administer to: 18 years old and older
Administration time: 50 minutes