Taxometric analysis supports a dimensional latent structure for schizotypy

The existence of a discrete class of people vulnerable to schizophrenia spectrum disorders is the most replicated finding of taxometric research. Evidence for such a “taxon” has been obtained with diverse measures of schizotypy in clinical, high-risk, and normal samples. However, recent demonstrations that skewed indicators of a latent dimension can yield a spuriously taxonic pattern of results may call some of these findings into question. Normal adults (N = 1073) completed measures of positive (perceptual aberration, magical ideation) and negative (physical and social anhedonia) components of schizotypy. Taxometric curves resembled those obtained previously, but when a simulation procedure took skew into account, dimensional models of schizotypy received stronger support than taxonic models for most schizotypy components, with findings for magical thinking inconclusive. A re-evaluation of previous taxonic conclusions regarding the latent structure of schizotypy is indicated.