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Exploring the relationship between psychopathy and criminal thinking: utilising the Tri-PM within a forensic sample
Abstract
Purpose
The Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (Tri-PM) was developed in 2010 as an alternative approach to the assessment of psychopathy. The measure aims to capture psychopathic traits on a 3-factor model, which encompass the characteristics established in previous measures, as well as those evidenced within practise. Though support for the tool in academic research is growing, less is known about the scale’s utility within crime forensic settings. Thus, this study aims to explore the relationship between the Tri-PM psychopathy constructs and criminal cognition within a forensic sample.
Design/methodology/approach
Seventy-three adult male offenders, convicted for acquisitive or sexual crimes, from a Category B prison within the Northwest of England completed questionnaires measuring their criminal backgrounds, psychopathy traits (Tri-PM; Patrick, 2010) and criminal thinking styles (Psychology Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles; Walters, 2001).
Findings
The Tri-PM measurement proved to be a successful predictor of most criminal thinking styles. Moreover, the meanness construct was the strongest predictor of proactive thinking styles, whereas the disinhibition construct was the strongest predictor of reactive thinking styles, and the boldness construct was negatively associated with reactive thinking. Comparisons among offender groups also indicated that acquisitive offenders reported higher scores of psychopathy and criminal thinking.
Originality/value
This study offers valuable insight into the proposed relationship between psychopathy and criminal thinking, using a recent addition to the repertoire of psychopathy measurements, the Tri-PM. This study also offers practical implications for those offering treatment within forensic settings, with significant relationships identified between the highly scoring psychopathy constructs and various criminal thinking styles.
... Robert D. Hare et al. [9] They determined the psychometric properties of the PCL-R form the samples, performed structural equation modeling (SEM) to investigate the factor structure of the PCL-R, and conducted a latent profile analysis (LPA) of the obtained factors to identify classes or subtypes within the samples. Laura Amy Jackson et al. [10] Twelve interviews were conducted with young men with convictions aged between 18 and 25 years who had almost completed a rehabilitation process within the community. Narrative analysis was used to analyze the data. ...
Criminal psychology has always been a topic that has come into immense roar these days because of the increase in crimes all around the globe, it is impossible to make out who is iniquitous in today’s time, a person sitting next to you in a local transport can be as dangerousto you as a murderer/rapist sitting inside a jail, hence the aim of this work is to find out the mechanics inside a criminals mind before and after committing a crime so that we can curb thenumber of criminals around the world by understanding their workings.
... Psychopathy is a construct that has captured vast public and academic interest since first conceptualised. Indeed, it is frequently draw upon by professionals, researchers, and lay people seeking to make sense of deviant and criminal conduct across a broad range of settings DeBlasio & Mojtahedi, 2023;Debowska, et al., 2019;Lilley et al., 2023a;Sherretts et al., 2017;Zara et al., 2023). Whilst the concept of a successful psychopath and the possible benefits of such personality profiles in political and business arenas have gained momentum over recent years (see Lilienfeld, Watts & Smith, 2015), psychopathy is most often understood as resulting in antisocial consequences and highly problematic for interpersonal relationships. ...
Vast research has sought to better understand the origins and development of rape myth beliefs given the problematic influence of such misconceptions throughout global societies and criminal justice pathways. The current research aims to build on this body of literature by examining the contribution that psychopathic personality traits (affective responsiveness, cognitive responsiveness, interpersonal manipulation, egocentricity) and emotional intelligence may have upon rape myth beliefs. Furthermore, this study will investigate the extent to which sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, ethnicity, education), and prior experience of sexual victimisation, contribute to variance in rape myth acceptance scores. In total 251 participants (M Age = 31.66) completed an online, self-report questionnaire which included contemporary measures of psychopathy and rape myth acceptance, never previously tested in combination. Results of a hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicate that egocentricity, age, and gender were significantly associated with rape myth beliefs. Emotional intelligence, as well as affective and interpersonal traits of psychopathy, were not directly related with rape mythology. Findings are interpreted alongside previous research, where we suggest there is an urgent need for larger, nationally representative samples, systematically recruited from the general population to help clarify uncertainty in existing literature emerging from small-scale opportunistic datasets.
Purpose
The criminal narrative experience (CNE) framework posits that criminals’ personal experiences of offending can be differentiated into distinct narrative themes. This study aims to examine whether CNE themes of sexual offenders (SO) was related to particular cognitive distortions (criminal thinking). Additionally, given previously identified psychological differences between child SO and SO that target adults, the study also compared CNE and criminal thinking styles between these SO groups.
Design/methodology/approach
Twenty-six adult male offenders convicted for sexual crimes completed a survey composed of the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (Version 4) and a Criminal Narrative Experience Questionnaire which identified two narrative themes of sexual offending (The Intrepid Professional-Adventurer, IPA; and The Dejected Revenger Victim, DRV).
Findings
Analyses failed to identify significant relationships between CNE themes and most of the criminal thinking styles. However, offenders reporting the DRV narrative displayed greater fears about the prospect of changing. Additionally, child SO displayed the IPA narrative more than SO that targeted adults.
Practical implications
The CNE framework can assist practitioners who are working towards a goal of desistance, as the experience of crime from the perspective of the offender is understood through their narrative roles and emotional experience. Identifying an individual’s strongest CNE theme could aid practitioners in identifying and planning interventions which challenge the distorted thinking.
Originality/value
This study is the first to examine the relationship between CNE and cognitive distortions that enable (re)offending.
Respect and fair treatment among competitors are necessary for maintaining quality and enjoyment in sporting competitions. Yet despite the existence of rules and expectations, many athletes choose to violate such sporting norms. The present study examined whether individual differences in Sportspersonship within recreational sports could be explained by personality and sport-related attitudes. Ultimate Frisbee players ( N = 828) completed an online survey consisting of personality (dark triad, HEXACO-60, and Sportspersonship), demographic, and attitudinal questionnaires. Psychopathy was associated with low Sportspersonship, whereas Honesty-Humility, Agreeableness, and Openness to Experience predicted greater Sportspersonship. Additionally, participants holding positive attitudes about the conduct of other players and the efficacy of self-governed regulation displayed higher Sportspersonship. Positive associations between personality traits and Sportspersonship may be attributed to positive views toward cooperation and enjoyment of the experience, whereas negative associations between Psychopathy and Sportspersonship are likely to be linked to the callous and risk-taking nature of such individuals.
The use of mindfulness interventions (MIs) as means to manage unwanted or undesirable affect and behaviour has increased in popularity recently. This has resulted in the trial of MIs as a means to benefit wellbeing within prisons, with some intention of reducing recidivism. This selective literature review aims to examine current research regarding the use of MIs within prisons. Fourteen studies were manually selected for review inclusion according to their determined
eligibility. All studies were required to have taken place in a prison and to include an explicit mindfulness intervention, including mindfulness theory and practice.
Most interventions reviewed demonstrated success, particularly when tailored to the unique needs of a prison environment. Positive changes reported included improvements in participant mental
health symptoms, as well as reduced stress and increased mindfulness skills. Some preliminary evidence was provided to indicate the potential longevity of some of these benefits. This review further highlighted some significant questions regarding the generalisability of the
proposed suitability of MIs within prison environments including practical delivery constraints and the lack of acknowledgment of the unique challenges and circumstances faced by prisoners.
Reports from 2016-2017 suggest that approximately 870 cases of non-familial child abduction (NFA) are recorded England and Wales per year. Yet, empirical knowledge of the victims, offenders, and offence characteristics is limited in comparison to other forms of child victimisation. Furthermore, much of the available knowledge is constrained by a lack of clarity around the differences between acquaintance and stranger abductors. This systematic literature review aimed to develop a comprehensive overview of acquaintance and stranger abductions, focussing on the similarities and differences in offending behaviours.
Research databases (PsyArticles, Google Scholar, Science Direct, PsychINFO, Criminal Justice Abstracts, MEDLINE, and ERIC) and the Grey Literature (ETHOS and EBSCO) were screened for peer-reviewed research published between 1995 and 2018. Sixteen articles met the inclusion criteria and were critically appraised using a modified version of the Joanna Briggs Institute Checklist for Case
Reports. Six key areas within NFA offences and their characteristics were identified as offering potential for differentiating acquaintance and stranger abductors: victim-offender relationship, number of victims and offenders, motives, modus operandi, victim injury, sexual assault, and mechanism of death (in fatal cases). The results of this review are discussed with consideration given to investigative implications, limitations, and directions for future studies.
The present study examined antisocial dispositions in 487 university students. Primary and secondary psychopathy scales were developed to assess a protopsychopathic interpersonal philosophy. An antisocial action scale also was developed for purposes of validation. The primary, secondary, and antisocial action scales were correlated with each other and with boredom susceptibility and disinhibition but not with experience seeking and thrill and adventure seeking. Secondary psychopathy was associated with trait anxiety. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the strongest predictors of antisocial action were disinhibition, primary psychopathy, secondary psychopathy, and sex, whereas thrill and adventure seeking was a negative predictor. This argues against a singular behavioral inhibition system mediating both antisocial and risk-taking behavior. These findings are also consistent with the view that psychopathy is a continuous dimension.
This qualitative study considers the development of adolescent offending and examines a range of potential causes rooted in the issues of truancy, peer pressure, and educational and parental disengagement. Ten adult offenders recently released from prison were accessed through a probation service in the North West of England. Participants (M age = 35.2, S.D = 8.51) were interviewed about the indictable offences that they perpetrated between the ages of 12-16. Thematic analysis uncovered several key themes related to substance misuse and broader enjoyment of risk-taking behaviours, financial gain and the desire to develop a recognised criminal status, alongside fear and rejection of authority. In general, educational disengagement led to stronger associations with antisocial peers from whom acceptance was sought and offending identities were constructed around. Longer-term consequences of time spent with antisocial peers included substance abuse, more serious criminality, and increased risk-taking behaviour. The implications of the findings are discussed in the context of early interventions.
Concerns toward public well-being and mental health are increasing considering the COVID-19 pandemic's global societal and individual impact. The present study builds on the current body of COVID-19 literature by examining the role of mental toughness (MT) in predicting negative affective states (depression, anxiety and stress) during the pandemic. The study also examined the effects of changes in employment on mental health and MT. Participants (N = 723) completed a battery of questionnaires including the Mental Toughness Questionnaire 48-item, The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale – 21 items. Participants reported relatively higher levels of depression, stress and anxiety in comparison to pre-COVID-19 samples from previous research, with respondents who had lost their jobs during the pandemic reporting higher levels of negative affective states. Despite this, mentally tough individuals appeared to report lower levels of depression, anxiety and stress. Moreover, moderation analyses identified some interaction between MT and employment status when predicting depression, anxiety and stress. Our findings suggest that MT may have some utility in reducing the adverse mental health effects of the pandemic on individuals, however, further longitudinal research is needed to support these implications.
Previous research suggests that co-witness influence is heavily dependent on how eyewitnesses perceive the source of information, with perceived credibility, authority and memory accuracy identified as significant predictors. However, very little research has directly investigated the effects of perceived intelligence on co-witness influence. The present study used confederates to expose participants (N = 182) to misinformation about a witnessed event, prior to collecting their statements. Participants were paired up with a confederate who was presented as either a PhD student (high intelligence), police officer (high authority), neutral (no information provided); or completed the study individually (control). Results found that participants were significantly more likely to blame the wrong person for the crime if it had been suggested to them by a police officer or PhD student. Implications of the findings suggest that the characteristics and perceptions of co-witnesses can moderate the risks of statement contamination.
Investigating the effects of age and gender on co-witness suggestibility during blame attribution. Abstract Despite a large body of research investigating the effects of age and gender on eyewitness suggestibility, the majority of studies have focussed on the impressionability of participants when attempting to recall the presence of items from an event. Very little research has attempted to investigate the effects of age and gender on the suggestibility of eyewitnesses when attempting to attribute blame. Participants (N=268) viewed and discussed a crime (video) with co-witnesses before giving individual statements. Confederates were used to expose the participants to misinformation during the discussion, suggesting that the wrong bystander was responsible for the offence. Findings indicated that participants who encountered the misinformation were more likely to make a false blame attribution and were more confident in their erroneous judgements. The results found no significant age or gender-related differences in blame conformity rates, however, male eyewitnesses showed greater levels of overconfidence in their false responses than female participants, after encountering co-witness misinformation.
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of pre-existing relationships between co-witnesses on statement similarity, after a post-event discussion. Although research studies have attempted to observe the effect of a pre-existing relationship on eyewitness pairs, few have investigated these effects on larger groups of co-witnesses. Four hundred and twenty participants took part in an eyewitness simulation experiment. Participants were placed into groups of five, and viewed video footage of a bar fight. After witnessing the event, participants discussed the event with group members before giving individual statements privately. The study employed a one-way between subjects design with three conditions; 1) participants discussed the event with familiar co-witnesses; 2) participants discussed the event with unfamiliar co-witnesses; and 3) participants were not permitted to discuss the event with their co-witnesses (control). It was found that post-event discussion between co-witnesses increased the level of similarity in blame attribution within the eyewitness groups; however, this difference was only significant in groups where eyewitnesses shared a pre-existing relationship. In addition, the level of uncertainty was reduced when eyewitnesses took part in post-event discussions. It is suggested that this might be attributed to an increased level of informational influence between familiar co-witnesses. However, there was no evidence suggesting that post-event discussions led to an increase in false eyewitness statements.
The current research reports 61 male serial murderers’ responses to self-report questionnaires designed to assess levels of psychopathy and criminal thinking. Three separate measures of psychopathy were included. Contrary to our predictions, results indicated that our sample of serial murderers did not demonstrate strong evidence of psychopathy. Rather, the percentage of inmates who could be classified as having psychopathic tendencies is on par with the general population of prisoners. Only half of the participants had an interpretable criminal thinking style scale. Temperament and power issues were the two factors of greatest significance for understanding the serial homicide perpetrators’ criminal cognition. In line with expectations, multiple significant correlations were observed for the measures. Implications and limitations of the research are discussed.
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of response bias and target
gender on detecting deception.
Design/ methodology - Participants were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions: a stereotype condition (bogus training group), a tell-signs condition (empirically tested cues), and a control condition. Participants were required to decide whether eight targets were lying or telling the truth, based upon the information they had been given. Accuracy was measured via a correct or incorrect response to the stimuli. The data was then analyzed using a 2x2x3 mixed Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to determine whether any main or interactional effects were present.
Results - Results revealed training condition had no significant effect on accuracy, nor was there a within-subjects effect of gender. However, there was a significant main effect of accuracy in detecting truth or lies and a significant interaction between target gender and detecting truth or lies.
Research limitations – Future research should seek a larger sample of participants with a more extensive training aspect developed into the study, as the brief training offered here may not be fully reflective of the extent and intensity of training which could be offered to professionals.
Practical Implications - Within the criminal justice system, the need for increased accuracy in detecting deception is of critical importance; not only to detect whether a guilty individual is being deceitful, but also whether someone is making a false confession, both to improve community safety by detaining the correct perpetrator for the crime but also to maintain public trust in the justice system.
Crime persists in plaguing society, with most crimes committed by repeat offenders. This causes an increase in the incarcerated population and strains correctional systems. Understanding why individuals who have been incarcerated continue to recidivate remains an important focus for investigation. Psychopathic personality traits and criminogenic thinking have both been shown to predict recidivism. However, there is currently little research that focuses on the relationship between these two risk factors, and no prior research has examined this relationship specifically among incarcerated offenders. To address this gap, the present study examined psychopathy and criminogenic thinking among 399 adult males incarcerated in the Mississippi Department of Corrections. Results indicated that after controlling for demographic variables, increased primary and secondary psychopathy significantly predicted increased overall and particular subtypes of criminogenic thinking. Implications for addressing psychopathic personality characteristics and criminogenic thinking conjointly in prison-based treatment programming to reduce recidivism are discussed.
Although Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) has represented the current operationalization of psychopathy since DSM-III, it has long been recognized as failing to capture the full range of the construct. The current study examined the degree to which boldness, a trait domain within the Triarchic conceptualization of psychopathy (Patrick et al., 2009) that captures fearlessness, dominance, and low stress reactivity, represents a distinct difference between psychopathy and ASPD. Utilizing a sample of 152 male prison inmates, the current study examined the extent to which boldness, relative to meanness and disinhibition (indexed by the Triarchic Psychopathy measure; Patrick, 2010), accounted for incremental variance beyond ASPD symptom counts (indexed by the SCID-II ASPD module) in predicting psychopathy (as indexed by PCL-R total, factor, and facets scores). TriPM Boldness added to the incremental prediction of PCL-R Factor 1 (Interpersonal/Affective) and Facet 1 (Interpersonal) scores above and beyond ASPD scores.
Purpose - This paper aims to provide a critical review of the psychopathy literature, with a particular focus on recent research examining the relationship between psychopathy and various forms of criminal behaviour.
Design/methodology/approach - The authors provide an overview of the studies conducted to date. To identify relevant publications for inclusion in this review, literature searches were completed using Web of Science, Scopus, PsychINFO, and PubMed.
Findings - Substantial empirical research exists to suggest that psychopathy is a robust predictor of criminal behaviour and recidivism. Furthermore, considerable support for the assertion that the violence perpetrated by psychopathic offenders is more instrumental than the violence committed by other offenders was found. In addition, some research suggests that the greater use of instrumental violence among psychopathic offenders may be due to the Interpersonal-Affective traits of psychopathy, and not the Impulsive-Antisocial traits. Originality/value – The current paper is the first to provide an in-depth review of the literature examining the association between psychopathy and criminal offending with a particular focus on violent and homicidal behaviour.
The triarchic model of psychopathy (Patrick, Fowles, & Krueger, 2009) was formulated as an integrative framework for reconciling differing conceptions of psychopathy. The model characterizes psychopathy in terms of 3 distinguishable phenotypic components: boldness, meanness, and disinhibition. Data from a large mixed-gender undergraduate sample (N = 618) were used to examine relations of several of the best known measures for assessing psychopathic traits with scores on the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM), an inventory developed to operationalize the triarchic model through separate facet scales. Analyses revealed that established inventories of psychopathy index components of the model as indexed by the TriPM to varying degrees. Although each inventory provided effective coverage of meanness and disinhibition components, instruments differed in their representation of boldness. Present results demonstrate the heuristic value of the triarchic model for delineating commonalities and differences among alternative measures of psychopathy and provide support for the utility of the triarchic model as a framework for reconciling alternative conceptions of psychopathy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).
This study examined differential associations between phenotypic domains of the triarchic conceptualization of psychopathy (boldness, meanness, and disinhibition; Patrick, Fowles, & Krueger, 2009), as assessed by the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (Patrick, 2010b), and the five-factor model (FFM) of normal personality, as indexed by the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (Costa & McCrae, 1992; Spanish version, Costa & McCrae, 1999), in 349 undergraduates (96 men). Distinctive patterns of correlations for psychopathy components did not differ significantly across gender, although relations between Meanness and Agreeableness were stronger for men than for women. Our findings are largely consistent with the conceptualization of psychopathy in terms of FFM constructs and provide discriminant evidence in support of all 3 triarchic domains. Thus, meanness is marked by low Agreeableness and some degree of low Conscientiousness, whereas disinhibition is characterized both by low Conscientiousness and low Agreeableness along with high Neuroticism and Extraversion. Notably, the constellation of low Neuroticism, high Extraversion, and high Openness, with facets of low Agreeableness, supports the idea that boldness encompasses some adaptive features of psychological adjustment while depicting the interpersonal features of psychopathy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).
Structured risk assessment aims to help clinicians classify offenders according to likelihood of future violent and criminal behaviour. We investigated how confident clinicians can be using three commonly used instruments (HCR-20, VRAG, OGRS-II) in individuals with different diagnoses. Moderate to good predictive accuracy for future violence was achieved for released prisoners with no mental disorder, low to moderate for clinical syndromes and personality disorder, but accuracy was no better than chance for individuals with psychopathy. Comprehensive diagnostic assessment should precede an assessment of risk. Risk assessment instruments cannot be relied upon when managing public risk from individuals with psychopathy.
The subclinical Dark Triad traits narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy (Paulhus & Williams, 2002) are related to antagonistic behaviors in interpersonal situations. The current study addresses whether these three traits entail different social consequences by investigating self-ratings, ratings of others, and ratings by others for the Dark Triad. In a naturalistic setting, 93 informal, minimally acquainted student dyads worked briefly on a cooperative task and subsequently provided self- and other- ratings on the Big Five and intelligence, self-ratings on the Dark Triad, and ratings on properties of the interaction. Overall, narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy manifested differently: profile analyses indicated that Machiavellians diverged from narcissists and psychopaths in self-ratings, ratings of others, and ratings by others, while narcissists and psychopaths converged to a moderate degree. Findings are discussed regarding the distinction of the Dark Triad traits.
Psychopathy is an extremely important construct in both forensic psychology and psychiatry. Recently, there have been attempts to produce self-report questionnaires of psychopathic traits. We examined the relationship between such a self-report measure of psychopathy [(Psychopathic Personality Inventory – Revised (PPI-R), Lilienfeld, S.O., & Widows, M.R. (2005). Psychopathic Personality Inventory – Revised. Lutz, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc.] and an assessment of psychopathy by a third party using the Psychopathy Checklist – Revised (PCL-R; R.D. Hare, 200315.
Hare , R. D. 2003 . The Hare Psychopathy Checklist – Revised (PCL-R) , 2nd ed. , Toronto : Multi-Health Systems . View all references. Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) 2nd Edition. Toronto: ON: Multi-Health Systems.). A strong relationship (r = .54) was found between the two measures of psychopathy in a sample of male offenders. However, the factors underpinning the PPI-R and the factors underpinning the PCL-R did not show any obvious correspondence. It is suggested that the PCL-R and the PPI-R measure different conceptualisations of psychopathy and that one cannot be used as a substitute for the other.
For over 30 years, criminal justice policy has been dominated by a “get tough” approach to offenders. Increasing punitive measures have failed to reduce criminal recidivism and instead have led to a rapidly growing correctional system that has strained government budgets. The inability of reliance on official punishment to deter crime is understandable within the context of the psychology of human conduct. However, this knowledge was largely ignored in the quest for harsher punishment. A better option for dealing with crime is to place greater effort on the rehabilitation of offenders. In particular, programs that adhere to the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model have been shown to reduce offender recidivism by up to 35%. The model describes: a) who should receive services (moderate and higher risk cases), b) the appropriate targets for rehabilitation services (criminogenic needs), and c) the powerful influence strategies for reducing criminal behavior (cognitive social learning). Although the RNR model is well known in the correctional field it is less well known, but equally relevant, for forensic, clinical, and counseling psychology. The paper summarizes the empirical base to RNR along with implications for research, policy, and practice.
The current study tested hypotheses associated with the triarchic conceptualization of psychopathy (Patrick, 2010b; Patrick, Fowles, & Krueger, 2009), which describes three distinctive, albeit related, phenotypic domains-boldness, meanness, and disinhibition. We used two samples consisting of 209 female prison inmates and 627 undergraduate students whom had been administered a range of psychopathy and psychopathy-relevant measures. Our results indicated that the triarchic domains explained variance in other psychopathy models to degrees consistent with conceptual expectations. We also examined associations between the triarchic domains and personality traits relevant to psychopathy in the female correctional sample. The results showed that boldness was preferentially associated with narcissism, thrill/adventure seeking, and low behavioral inhibition system functioning; meanness with Machiavellianism, low empathy, and low behavioral inhibition system; and disinhibition with impulsivity and fun seeking. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to investigate the utility of the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS) in predicting reconviction in a sample of male prisoners.
Method. The PICTS was administered to 174 incarcerated male offenders at the point of their release from prison. Reconviction data were collected at a 2‐year follow‐up.
Results. Of the eight PICTS scales, only superoptimism differed significantly between reconvicted and non‐reconvicted prisoners, even when age and number of previous convictions were controlled for. Reconvicted offenders scored significantly higher on superoptimism, indicating a more criminal attitude. This finding was supported by a sequential logistic regression, where superoptimism contributed significant predictive power to predicting reconviction beyond a model containing age and number of previous convictions.
Conclusions. The results are compared with previous research using the PICTS to predict release outcome. The utility of the PICTS as a predictor for release outcome is discussed.
We propose that neuroscientific understanding of antisocial behavior can be advanced by focusing programmatic efforts on neurobehavioral trait constructs, that is, individual difference constructs with direct referents in neurobiology as well as behavior. As specific examples, we highlight inhibitory control and defensive reactivity as two such constructs with clear relevance for understanding antisocial behavior in the context of development. Variations in inhibitory control are theorized to reflect individual differences in the functioning of brain systems that operate to guide and inhibit behavior and regulate emotional response in the service of nonimmediate goals. Variations in defensive reactivity are posited to reflect individual differences in the sensitivity of the brain's aversive motivational (fear) system. We describe how these constructs have been conceptualized in the adult and child literatures and review work pertaining to traditional psychometric (rating and behaviorally based) assessment of these constructs and their known physiological correlates at differing ages as well as evidence linking these constructs to antisocial behavior problems in children and adults. We outline a psychoneurometric approach, which entails systematic development of neurobiological measures of target trait constructs through reference to psychological phenotypes, as a paradigm for linking clinical disorders to neurobiological systems. We provide a concrete illustration of this approach in the domain of externalizing proneness and discuss its broader implications for research on conduct disorder, antisocial personality, and psychopathy.
Since the 1970s, a wide body of research has suggested that the accuracy of clinical risk assessments of violence might be increased if clinicians used actuarial tools. Despite considerable progress in recent years in the development of such tools for violence risk assessment, they remain primarily research instruments, largely ignored in daily clinical practice. We argue that because most existing actuarial tools are based on a main effects regression approach, they do not adequately reflect the contingent nature of the clinical assessment processes. To enhance the use of actuarial violence risk assessment tools, we propose a classification tree rather than a main effects regression approach. In addition, we suggest that by employing two decision thresholds for identifying high- and low-risk cases--instead of the standard single threshold--the use of actuarial tools to make dichotomous risk classification decisions may be further enhanced. These claims are supported with empirical data from the MacArthur Violence Risk Assessment Study.
The predictive validity of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) was compared with 3 actuarial risk scales in a sample of 81 offenders followed for a maximum of 67 months (average of 30 months). The recommittal or general recidivism rate for the entire sample was 57% (40% for nonpsychopaths, 51.2% for a mixed group, and 85% for psychopaths). The violent reoffense rate was 10% for the sample (nonpsychopaths 0%, mixed 7.3%, psychopaths 25%). All instruments were significantly correlated with general recidivism; however, the PCL-R was the best predictor of violent recidivism. Compared to the actuarial scales, the PCL-R had a higher predictive efficiency (Relative Improvement Over Chance (RIOC)) and yielded fewer decision errors. Most importantly, Factor 1 was a better predictor of violent recidivism than Factor 2, suggesting that the trait construct of psychopathy makes a unique contribution to the prediction of violent recidivism.
Although a common assumption throughout much of the professional and popular literature is that psychopaths are qualitatively different from others, very few studies have examined the latent structure of psychopathy. Whether psychopathy is a discrete category or a continuous dimension may have implications for research on the assessment, etiology, and treatment of this disorder. This study examined the latent structure of psychopathy in a sample of 309 jail and prison inmates. Three taxometric procedures were used to analyze indicators drawn from the Psychopathic Personality Inventory (S. O. Lilienfeld & B. P. Andrews, 1996), a self-report instrument. Consistent with prior studies that used other measures of psychopathy, none of the analyses was consistent with a taxonic solution, suggesting that psychopathic personality may be best understood as existing on a continuum.
There is debate about whether the psychopath's criminal behaviour is a consequence of abnormal personality traits or a symptom of psychopathy. The aim of this study was to examine independent associations between offending behaviour over the lifetime and psychopathy in a representative sample of male and female offenders. A two-stage survey was carried out among prisoners in all prisons in England and Wales. Psychopathy was measured using the PCL-R in the second stage among 497 male and female prisoners. Independent relationships between the four factors of psychopathy and lifetime offences were examined using multiple regression. Two models of association were compared to test the effects of the fourth (antisocial) factor. Factor 1 (interpersonal) was not associated with any category of serious offending behaviour. Affective deficiency (Factor 2) was independently associated with violent and acquisitive offending in men. The contribution of the antisocial factor to associations with total PCL-R scores, together with its strong intercorrelations with Factor 3 (lifestyle), suggest that it is an integral component of the psychopathy construct. The findings also demonstrate the dilemma of colinearity between the third and fourth factors of psychopathy and their relationship with criminal behaviour, especially in men. Keywords: Psychopathy; offending behaviour; prisoners; criminality; factor-structure; gender Published (author's copy) Peer Reviewed
The Measure of Offender Thinking Styles (MOTS) was originally developed to examine the structure of dysfunctional thinking exhibited by criminal offenders. In the initial investigation, a three-factor model of criminal thinking was obtained using the MOTS. These factors included dysfunctional thinking characterized as Control, Cognitive Immaturity, and Egocentrism. In the present investigation, the stability of the three-factor model was examined with a confirmatory factor analysis of the revised version of the MOTS (i.e., MOTS-R). In addition, the internal consistency, test–retest reliability, and convergent validity of the MOTS-R were examined. Results indicated that the three-factor model of criminal thinking was supported. In addition, the MOTS-R demonstrated reliability and convergent validity with other measures of criminal thinking and attitudes. Overall, it appears that the MOTS-R may prove to be a valuable tool for use with an offender population, particularly because of the simple, intuitive structure of dysfunctional thinking that it represents.
The clinical concept of psychopathy ("psychopathic personality") is generally considered to entail persistent behavioral deviancy in the company of emotional-interpersonal detachment. However, longstanding debates continue regarding the appropriate scope and boundaries of the concept. Here, we review alternative historic descriptions of the disorder together with empirical findings for the best-established assessment instruments in use with adolescents and youth as a basis for formulating an integrative, triarchic model of psychopathy. The essence of the triarchic model is that psychopathy encompasses three distinct phenotypic constructs: disinhibition, which reflects a general propensity toward problems of impulse control; boldness, which is defined as the nexus of social dominance, emotional resiliency, and venturesomeness; and meanness, which is defined as aggressive resource seeking without regard for others ("dysaffliated agency"). These differing phenotypic components are considered in terms of relevant etiologic and developmental pathways. The triarchic conceptualization provides a basis for reconciling and accommodating alternative descriptive accounts of psychopathy, and a framework for coordinating research on neurobiological and developmental processes contributing to varying manifestations of the disorder.
Most research into psychopathy among prisoners is based on selected samples. It remains unclear whether prevalences are lower among European populations. This study aimed to measure the prevalence of psychopathy, and the distribution and correlates of psychopathic traits in a representative national sample of prisoners. Psychopathy was measured using the revised Psychopathy Checklist (PCL-R) in a second stage, cross-sectional survey of prisoners in England and Wales in 1997 (n=496). Poisson regression analysis was carried out to examine independent associations between correlates and PCL-R total and factor scores. The prevalence of categorically diagnosed psychopathy at a cut off of 30 was 7.7% (95%CI 5.2-10.9) in men and 1.9% (95%CI 0.2-6.9) in women. Psychopathic traits were less prevalent among women. They were correlated with younger age, repeated imprisonment, detention in higher security, disciplinary infractions, antisocial, narcissistic, histrionic, and schizoid personality disorders, and substance misuse, but not neurotic disorders or schizophrenia. The study concluded that psychopathy and psychopathic traits are prevalent among male prisoners in England and Wales but lower than in most previous studies using selected samples. However, most correlates with psychopathic traits were similar to other studies. Psychopathy identifies the extreme of a spectrum of social and behavioral problems among prisoners.
Evidence has accumulated since the mid 1960s from a number of different countries indicating an association between mental disorder and crime and particularly between the major mental disorders and violence. Registries in Denmark were used to identify a birth cohort and to document all psychiatric admissions and all criminal proceedings of the 324401 members of this cohort up to the age of 43 years.
Persons who had been admitted to a psychiatric ward were assigned to a diagnostic category according to a hierarchy of principal discharge diagnoses. They were compared with persons never admitted to a psychiatric ward as to the prevalence, type, and frequency of criminal convictions.
Women and men who had been hospitalized in psychiatric wards were more likely to have been convicted of a criminal offense than persons with no history of psychiatric hospitalization. The offenders who were hospitalized committed all types and, on average, as many offenses as did the never-hospitalized group of the same sex.
These findings confirm those from 2 other post-World War II Scandinavian birth cohorts that have found an association between psychiatric hospitalization and criminal convictions. They also concur with findings that patients discharged from psychiatric wards are more likely than other persons living in the same community to commit crimes and with results from North America showing elevated rates of major mental disorders among incarcerated offenders. Generalization of these findings is limited to nations with similar criminal justice, mental health, and social welfare systems.
This study investigated the relationship between psychopathy and the characteristics of criminal homicides committed by a sample of 125 Canadian offenders. It was hypothesized that the homicides committed by psychopathic offenders would be more likely to be primarily instrumental (i.e., associated with premeditation, motivated by an external goal, and not preceded by a potent affective reaction) or "cold-blooded" in nature, whereas homicides committed by nonpsychopaths often would be "crimes of passion" associated with a high level of impulsivity/reactivity and emotionality. The results confirmed these predictions; homicides committed by psychopathic offenders were significantly more instrumental than homicides by nonpsychopaths. Nearly all (93.3%) of the homicides by psychopaths were primarily instrumental in nature compared with 48.4% of the homicides by nonpsychopaths.
The Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS) is an 80-item self-report measure designed to assess crime-supporting cognitive patterns. Data from men (N = 450) and women (N = 227) offenders indicate that the PICTS thinking, validity, and content scales possess moderate to moderately high internal consistency and test-retest stability. Metaanalyses of studies in which the PICTS has been administered reveal that besides correlating with measures of past criminality, several of the PICTS thinking and content scales are capable of predicting future adjustment/release outcome at a low but statistically significant level, and two scales (En, CUR) are sensitive to program-assisted change beyond what control subjects achieve spontaneously. The factor structure of the PICTS is then examined with the aid of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, the results of which denote the presence of two major and two minor factors.
This study explored the validity of the PCL/PCL-R factor scores in predicting institutional adjustment and recidivism in forensic clients and prison inmates. Forty-two studies in which institutional adjustment, release outcome (recidivism), or both were assessed prospectively with the PCL/PCL-R yielded 50 effect size estimates between the PCL/PCL-R factor scores and measures of institutional adjustment/recidivism. A meta-analysis of these findings disclosed that Factor 2 (Antisocial/Unstable Lifestyle) correlated moderately well with institutional adjustment and recidivism, whereas Factor 1 (Affective/Interpersonal Traits) was less robustly associated with these outcomes. Direct comparisons of the mean effect sizes attained by Factors 1 and 2 revealed that Factor 2 was significantly more predictive of total outcomes, general recidivism, violent recidivism, and outcomes from the 12 most methodological sound studies than Factor 1. There was less differentiation between Factors 1 and 2 on measures of institutional adjustment.
Which aspects of psychopathic personality, if any, contribute to professional success? Previous research suggests that fearless dominance does so. Yet, it also suggests that self-centered impulsivity impairs professional success. Here, we address this differential pattern in a preregistered, multi-wave study involving a large, nationally representative sample (N = 2969 New Zealanders). We test the (a) replicability of prior findings using a new objective measure of professional success, and (b) stability of our findings across two annual assessments from 2011 and 2012. Fearless dominance is positively associated, but self-centered impulsivity is negatively associated, with subjective professional success. Controlling for age, gender, education level, and time in the current job does not alter these associations. Further, self-centered impulsivity and coldheartedness are negatively related with objective professional success. However, only the effect of coldheartedness remains after considering demographic variables. These relations hold for predicting subjective and objective professional success one year later. Together, aspects of psychopathic personality are linked negatively to objective professional success, a finding that challenges popular beliefs about the functional benefits of psychopathy in the workplace.
Purpose
This study aims to determine whether cases of acid attacks within the UK could be differentiated based on the offence characteristics and motivations.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used a multi-dimensional scalogram analysis (MSA) to examine the similarities and differences between the behaviours that were acted out during the 30 cases.
Findings
Results found a clear division amongst acid attack offenders through multiple variables, mainly pertaining to whether the attack was predicated and the motivation. This was found to be comparable with instrumental and expressive actions.
Practical implications
The findings have potential to contribute to psychological theory to categorise and define acid attack offences. This would also greatly assist in suspect prioritisation and other aspects of police investigations.
Originality/value
Reports of acid attacks within the UK are rising. The motivations behind these offences are predominantly related to gang violence and acts of revenge. However, the current literature around acid attacks has largely focussed on the victim perspective, with little research around offenders and their actions.
Individuals who enter police custody may experience mental ill health, making it highly imperative for custody staff to be knowledgeable and competent in this area-however, reports suggest this is not always the case (Leese & Russel, 2017). The present study examined the differences in casual attributions and stereotypes of individuals experiencing mental ill health, namely schizophrenia, between police custody staff (n =77) and members of the general population (n =85). Using the Attribution Questionnaire (AQ-27; Corrigan, 2004), the current study found that the general population held more negative attitudes towards individuals experiencing mental ill health than police custody staff. In particular they endorsed the attributions anger, avoidance, dangerousness and fear. Custody staff were found to be more willing to help vulnerable adults than the general population. In addition, people who knew a family member or friend experiencing mental ill health scored higher on the help and pity attributions. Furthermore, police custody staff highlighted that additional training around mental health would be beneficial to their job role. The authors postulate that further development of an adequate measurement of attitudes of police custody staff towards mental health needs developing in order to put in place effective training. 1
Background
The Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM) provides Disinhibition, Boldness, and Meanness scales for assessing the three trait domains of the triarchic model. Here we examined the genetic and environmental etiology of these three domains, including evaluation of potential sex differences.
Methods
A total of 1016 men and women ages 19–20 years were drawn from the University of Southern California Risk Factors for Antisocial Behavior twin study.
Results
Scores for the three TriPM scales were correlated to differing degrees, with the strongest phenotypic correlation between Disinhibition and Meanness. No sex differences were found in the genetic and environmental influences underlying these three domains, suggesting that the same genes and life experiences contribute to these traits in young men and women. For TriPM Disinhibition and Boldness, genetic factors explained about half or less of the variance, with the rest of the variance being explained by non-shared environmental factors. For TriPM Meanness, on the other hand, genetic, shared environmental, and non-shared environmental factors accounted for the variance. The phenotypic correlation between Disinhibition and Meanness was explained in part by common genes (26%), with the remainder attributable about equally to common shared (39%), and non-shared environmental influences (35%).
Conclusions
These findings contribute to our understanding of psychopathic personality traits by demonstrating the importance of heritable factors for disinhibition and boldness facets of psychopathy, and the importance of shared environmental influences for the meanness facet.
Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify meaningful subtypes of psychopathic traits among prisoners. Another aim was to estimate the association between psychopathy class membership and type of offending (homicide, general violent, property, and white-collar offences).
Methods: A systematically selected representative sample of 1,126 adult male prisoners completed a personality-based self-report measure of psychopathy, the Psychopathic Personality Traits Scale (PPTS).
Results: Latent profile analysis revealed five distinct classes of psychopathic traits: a “high psychopathy group” (7.1%)”, a “moderate psychopathy group” (10.8%), a “high interpersonal manipulation group” (20.8%), a “moderate affective/cognitive responsiveness group” (16.8%), and a “low psychopathy group” (44.6%). Multinominal logistic regression showed that general violent offenders were most likely to belong in the high psychopathy group, whereas property and white-collar criminals were most likely to be the members of the high interpersonal manipulation group.
Conclusions: Findings suggest that most inmates, even those detained in maximum and medium security units, do not meet the diagnostic criteria for psychopathy. The significance of the present findings is discussed in relation to past and future research as well as clinical practice.
This study tested the construct validity of the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS) Proactive (P) and Reactive (R) scores. The layperson version of the PICTS was administered to 277 (65 male, 212 female) undergraduates and correlated with putative measures of proactive and reactive criminal thinking. The hypothesis that P and the proactive scales would correlate > .30 in zero-order correlations and regression equations controlling for R, whereas R and the reactive scales would correlate > .30 in zero-order correlations and regression equations controlling for P found support in this study. This corroborates the construct validity of the PICTS P and R scores and indicates that self-report measures of moral disengagement and neutralization, on the one hand, and impulsivity and risk taking, on the other hand, may serve as effective proxies for proactive and reactive criminal thinking, respectively.
Psychopathic personality disorder is the subject of many research papers and in particular in the context of forensic settings, where its link to risk of future violent has been established. This topic is well examined but there is still considerable debate bout the nature of the construct and how psychopathy is measured. Contemporary models such as the triarchic theory (Patrick, Fowles, and Krueger (2009) have been put forward yet the research into psychopathy tends to rely on one assessment tool, the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R; Hare, 2003) that is argued not to capture elements of psychopathy such as boldness. The Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM; Patrick, 2010) is a measure that is based on the triarchic theory, and it places an equal focus on boldness when measuring psychopathy. It is however a self-report instrument, and this approach has many limitations. This paper aims to review the scientific support for the TriPM and to discuss its potential application to clinical practice. It concludes that the TriPM may not yet be a contender for the PCL-R throne as the sole tool of choice for psychopathy measurement, but the research into the application of the TriPM is expanding our understanding of psychopathy as a construct.
G*Power (Erdfelder, Faul, & Buchner, 1996) was designed as a general stand-alone power analysis program for statistical tests commonly used in social and behavioral research. G*Power 3 is a major extension of, and improvement over, the previous versions. It runs on widely used computer platforms (i.e., Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Mac OS X 10.4) and covers many different statistical tests of the t, F, and chi2 test families. In addition, it includes power analyses for z tests and some exact tests. G*Power 3 provides improved effect size calculators and graphic options, supports both distribution-based and design-based input modes, and offers all types of power analyses in which users might be interested. Like its predecessors, G*Power 3 is free.
Two meta-analyses were performed on the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS: Walters, 1995) as a predictor of recidivism. Seven samples from six different studies (5 published, 1 unpublished) were included in the first meta-analysis. The results revealed a pooled mean effect size (r) of .20 for the reconstructed General Criminal Thinking score (GCTrc), a pooled mean effect size of .17 for the reconstructed Proactive Criminal Thinking score (Prc), and a pooled mean effect size of .17 for the reconstructed Reactive Criminal Thinking score (Rrc). Data from three of these studies (4 samples) were sufficient to perform a meta-analysis of the incremental validity of the GCTrc. In all four samples, the GCTrc score predicted recidivism above and beyond the contributions of age and criminal history, with a mean effect size (odds ratio) of 1.27. Whereas the PICTS GCTrc score satisfied two of the three criteria for dynamic risk (i.e., dynamic risk factors are statistically and clinically significant predictors of outcome and are incrementally valid relative to well-established static risk factors), there is a need for additional data to assess its standing on the third criterion (i.e., changes in dynamic risk factors predict outcome and changes in outcome risk).
The current investigation examined whether attachment functioning might mediate the effects of parenting on traits associated with psychopathy. Participants completed the Parental Bonding Instrument, the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale, and the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure within a cross-sectional design. Whilst several recalled parenting variables demonstrated significant correlations with the psychopathy subscales, mediation analyses confirmed that the majority of these effects were mediated by current attachment anxiety and avoidance. Only paternal overprotection maintained a significant direct effect on levels of disinhibition. These findings provide support for the argument that attachment dysfunction may represent a potential mechanism through which parenting practices contribute to the emergence of psychopathy-related traits. Inferences regarding causality and mechanisms of effect are naturally constrained by the cross-sectional design of the current investigation, but the preliminary findings presented warrant further examination within prospective designs.
Research has shown that psychological skills training can be effective in enhancing athletes’ performance and positively influencing cognitive and affective states (cf. Williams & Krane, 2001). However, to date, little work has been conducted investigating such processes with adolescent high‐performing swimmers. The present study examined the effects of a seven‐week psychological skills training (PST) program on competitive swimming performance and positive psychological development. Thirty‐six national level swimmers (13 boys, 23 girls; M = 13.9 years old) followed a PST program for 45 minutes per week. The intervention consisted of goal setting, visualization, relaxation, concentration, and thought stopping. Performance times were obtained from official meets. Participants completed seven inventories measuring quality of performance, and six positive psychological attributes: mental toughness, hardiness, self‐esteem, self‐efficacy, dispositional optimism, and positive affectivity. Findings demonstrated that there was a significant post‐PST program improvement in three separate swimming strokes, each over 200 m. Non‐significant improvements were shown in 10 other events. There was also an overall significant improvement in participants’ post‐intervention positive psychological profiles
The predictive validity of the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS) was explored in a group of 536 medium-security prison inmates. Scores on six of the eight PICTS clinical scales were observed to correlate with future disciplinary problems in this sample of subjects. Although age was a more potent predict or of disciplinary status, several of the PICS scales displayed predictive efficacy independent of that attained with the age variable. The implications of these results are discussed with respect to continued development of the PICTS instrument.
The present study explored whether a risk/needs perspective could assist in understanding the construct of criminal psychopathy as assessed by the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R). Three hundred and twenty-one inmates serving sentences for violent offenses were assessed on the PCL-R and administered a variety of psychometric measures relevant to criminal conduct. Using a traditional PCL-R cutoff, 36 participants (11.2%) were designated as psychopaths and 285 (88.8%) were designated as nonpsychopaths and compared on various criminal conduct and psychometric variables. Results showed that psychopaths had significantly greater risk/needs areas than nonpsychopaths, and this pattern remained when alternative diagnostic cutoffs were used. Implications of the findings with respect to theory and practice are considered.
This article describes the evolution, standardization, and preliminary validation of the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS), an instrument designed to measure thinking styles believed to be associated with serious patterns of criminal conduct. Responses obtained from 450 federal prison inmates were used to establish norms for the PICTS, assess the reliability of the various PICTS scales, and investigate preliminary validity issues. The results indicate that maximum-security subjects attained significantly higher scores on the PICTS thinking scales than minimum- and medium-security subjects and that the PICTS possesses sufficient reliability and initial validity to warrant continued investigation.
The Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS) was developed to assess the eight thinking styles presumed to play a leading role in maintaining criminal patterns of interaction. In order to identify response styles and sets capable of altering a person's responses on the thinking style portion of the PICTS, two validity scales-one to measure confusion (Cf) and the other defensiveness (Df)-were constructed and incorporated into the PICTS. However, research has shown that the internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and preliminary validity of these two scales are well below the levels attained by the eight thinking style scales. The two validity scales have therefore been revised by omitting several items from each scale and replacing them with items from the thinking style item pool. These revised scales demonstrate improved internal consistency, test-retest stability, and criterion validity on par with results recorded previously with the eight thinking style scales.
The relationship between psychopathy and thinking styles that support and maintain a criminal lifestyle is examined using the Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version (PCL:SV; Hart, Cox, & Hare, 1995) and the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS; Walters, 1995). These measures are administered to a sample of 75 patients recruited from a state psychiatric hospital in the northeastern United States. Correlational analyses indicate that the PICTS General Criminal Thinking, Self-Assertion/Deception factor scale, and several criminal thinking style scales are significantly related to psychopathy. The significantly associated criminal thinking scales include Entitlement (r = .44) and Superoptimism (r = .43) with Factors 1 and 2 of the PCL:SV, respectively. Multiple regression analyses reveal that these two criminal thinking scales are the strongest predictors of Factors 1 and 2 of the PCL:SV, respectively. Implications for the cognitive basis of the construct of psychopathy, as well as potential treatment interventions, are discussed.
Research on psychopathology has been hindered by persisting difficulties and controversies regarding its assessment. The primary goals of this set of studies were to (a) develop, and initiate the construct validation of, a self-report measure that assesses the major personality traits of psychopathy in noncriminal populations and (b) clarify the nature of these traits via an exploratory approach to test construction. This measure, the Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI), was developed by writing items to assess a large number of personality domains relevant to psychopathy and performing successive item-level factor analyses and revisions on three undergraduate samples. The PPI total score and its eight subscales were found to possess satisfactory internal consistency and test-retest reliability. In four studies with undergraduates, the PPI and its subscales exhibited a promising pattern of convergent and discriminant validity with self-report, psychiatric interview, observer rating, and family history data. In addition, the PPI total score demonstrated incremental validity relative to several commonly used self-report psychopathy-related measures. Future construct validation studies, unresolved conceptual issues regarding the assessment of psychopathy, and potential research uses of the PPI are outlined.
The predictive utility of Hare, Hart, and Cox's Psychopathy Checklist Screening Version (PCL:SV) was assessed utilizing a sample of forensic psychiatric patients from Vernon State Hospital in Vernon, Texas. A sample of 55 patients were interviewed and rated on the PCL:SV. During a six month follow up, occurrences of self-harm (suicide attempts and self mutilation), aggression (verbal abuse and threats, irritability, belligerence, and fighting) escape potential (threats and attempts), and treatment refusal (medication, tests, and physician's appointments) were rated. Separate stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed utilizing patient's age, type of charges, documented history of alcohol/drug abuse and the PCL:SV as predictor variables. Results indicate that the PCL:SV is predictive of aggression and treatment noncompliance.