Distinct Event-Related-Potential Biomarkers of Broad Versus Specific Dimensions of the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology Externalizing Spectrum
The Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) provides a dimensional framework for connecting psychological disorders to neural systems/processes. We examined how neurophysiological measures of cognitive-attentional (oddball P300) and perceptual-emotional processing (fear-face N170/P200) relate to dimensions of the HiTOP externalizing spectrum. Employing 666 community participants, we fit a model in which antagonistic externalizing and substance-problems subfactors, defined via symptom and questionnaire-scale measures, loaded with a disinhibitory trait scale onto a higher-order externalizing factor. Hierarchical regression was used to evaluate how much observed relations of each neural measure with the two subfactors reflected their unique variance versus their covariance (reflected in the general factor). P300’s relations were fully accounted for by the general factor, suggesting that impaired cognitive processing characterizes broad risk for externalizing problems. Neural indicators of sensitivity to others’ distress (N170, P200) were uniquely related to antagonistic externalizing. Findings highlight the HiTOP framework’s potential to advance biobehavioral understanding of psychopathology.
Authors
- Sally Cole (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7660-2732)
- Bruce D. Bartholow (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9234-6417)
- Katherine Jonas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1910-223X)
- David Harold Zald (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1229-2923)
- James R. Yancey (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8912-8929)
- Robert D. Latzman (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1175-8090)
- Miriam K. Forbes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6954-3818)
- Noah C. Venables (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4916-2724)
- Jonathan D. Schaefer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4112-9268)
- Sarah J. Brislin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4303-8124)
- David C. Cicero (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5666-9139)
- Giorgia Michelini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0887-7582)
- Martin Sellbom
- Elizabeth A. Martin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8893-1667)
- William G. Iacono
- S. Wilson
- Rita Pasion
- Keanan Joyner
- Antonia N. Kaczkurkin
- Robert F. Krueger
- Emily R. Perkins
- Kristian E. Markon
- Brian M. Hicks
- Colin G. DeYoung
- Christopher J. Patrick
- Christopher J. Hopwood
- Roman Kotov
- Alexander M. Kallen
- Jeremy Harper
- Irwin D. Waldman
- Aidan G. C. Wright
- Christopher Conway
- Pablo Ribes-Guardiola
Institutions
- Florida State University (US)
- University of North Texas (US)
- University of Iowa (US)
- University of Minnesota (US)
- Emory University (US)
- Universitat de València (ES)
- Fordham University (US)
- Queen Mary University of London (GB)
- Vanderbilt University (US)
- University of Zurich (CH)
- University of California, Irvine (US)
- Medical College of Wisconsin (US)
- University of Michigan (US)
- Rutgers Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (NL)
- Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Centers (US)
- Advanced Imaging Research (United States) (US)
- Takeda (Japan) (JP)
- Monash University (AU)
- Stony Brook University (US)
- University of Pennsylvania (US)
- Universidade Lusófona (PT)
- University of California, Berkeley (US)
- Macquarie University (AU)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Clinical Psychological Science
- Published
- 2026-02-02
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1177/21677026251414032
- Primary Topic
- Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00