A Data-Based Analysis of the Psychometric Performance of the Personality Inventory for Children (PIC): An Alternative to the Achenbach Review

Abstract

This paper, in response to Achenbach's review of the Personality Inventory for Children manual and actuarial interpretive guide recently published in the Journal of Personality Assessment, summarizes some of the empirical data that support the validity and potential application of the PIC profile scales. In contrast to Achenbach's subjective critique of selective inventory items, review of scales and scale items provides evidence of their temporal stability, and their ability to classify criterion groups and to predict external correlates obtained independently from parents, teachers, and clinicians. It was also noted that Achenbach's concern over potential distortion of PIC descriptions because they are obtained from informants must be tempered by evidence of scale validity obtained despite the possible presence of such distortion, as well as by direct evidence that suggests the independence of scale elevation and informant psychopathology.