Assessment of HiTOP Constructs Across the Population: A Commentary on the HiTOP Measure Development Project

The set of articles in this issue demonstrates the promise of the HiTOP collaborative effort in advancing a viable alternative dimensional taxonomy of psychopathology. Besides transcending the limitations of our current taxonomic system and categorical diagnoses, the potential contributions of HiTOP should extend to also critically examining long-standing notions of psychopathology and mental wellness, evaluating the ability of symptom measures to capture the various manifestations of disorder in the population, and questioning the emphasis on predominant Western cultural norms as a basis for our definitions of psychopathology and their measurement. This commentary addresses the extent to which the implementation of the measurement studies featured in the special issue centered these goals, drawing on the work of scholars from within and outside the fields of psychiatry and clinical psychology, some who have taken a critical view of these fields. The hope is that we work to challenge some basic assumptions and increase self-reflection, with an eye toward reducing bias and mental health disparities.