Sophisticated quantitative modeling and measurement of behavioral and psychiatric phenotypes is a unique strength of psychological science, providing the potential to contribute to our understanding of the genetic underpinnings of complex behavior. As such, taking a broader view of the etiology of externalizing behavior and related traits using factor model approaches may lead to unique insights. Indeed, analyses of simulated data have demonstrated that using latent factor models to measure phenotypes (as opposed to manifest variables, such as dichotomous clinical diagnoses or symptom-count sum scores) generally increases power to detect genetic associations (van der Sluis, Verhage, Posthuma, & Dolan, 2010).
