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Screening for Psychopathy: Validation of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Short Form with Reference Scores

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Abstract

The current study reports validation results for the Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI) and its subscales, and for a newly developed PPI-Short Form (PPI-SF) in forensic and non-forensic populations. We also provide criterion reference scores for the PPI and the PPI-SF. In Study 1, we used PPI data from 1,065 participants and supplementary PCL-R data from a subsample of 91 forensic offenders. Mokken scale analysis was used to construct the PPI-SF. In Study 2, PPI-SF and PCL-R data were collected from 60 participants. The study yielded promising but preliminary support for the construct validity of the PPI and the PPI-SF. The PPI-SF is of interest for risk assessment because of its (a) strong relationship with the PCL-R total score and (b) subscales known for their predictive value for violence and criminal recidivism.

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Notes

  1. Because of acceptable skewness and kurtosis values, no extreme scorers were excluded.

  2. Results can be obtained on request from the first author.

  3. Age-corrected results were similar to the reported results (with one exception: no significant group difference was found in the age-corrected PPI-SF analysis in Carefree Nonplanfullness). Both results can be obtained on request from the first author.

  4. The PCL-R cut-off score of 26 was used as a dichotomous target variable categorizing individuals as psychopathic (PCL-R total score ≥ 26) versus non-psychopathic (PCL-R total score < 26). Recently, a lower cut-off score of 26 was suggested for psychopathy in Europe (Cooke 1995; Grann et al. 1998).

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Anne Douven for data collection, Dorus van de Bosch for the support in the Penitentiary Institution, Bruno Verschuere for providing PPI Data, and Nienke Laan and Arie van de Hurk from the Ministry of Justice for authorization of study 2.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Research, Forensic Psychiatric Centre De Rooyse Wissel, P.O. Box 433, 5800 AK, Venray, The Netherlands

    Franca Tonnaer

  2. Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 433, 5800 AK, Venray, The Netherlands

    Franca Tonnaer

  3. Department of Developmental, Clinical and Crosscultural Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands

    Maaike Cima

  4. Department of Research, Forensic Psychiatric Centre De Rooyse Wissel, Venray, The Netherlands

    Maaike Cima

  5. Department of Methodology and Statistics, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands

    Klaas Sijtsma

  6. Department of Applied Psychology, College University Lessius, Antwerp, Belgium

    Kasia Uzieblo

  7. Department of Psychology and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, USA

    Scott O. Lilienfeld

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  1. Franca Tonnaer
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  2. Maaike Cima
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  3. Klaas Sijtsma
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  4. Kasia Uzieblo
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  5. Scott O. Lilienfeld
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Correspondence to Franca Tonnaer.

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Tonnaer, F., Cima, M., Sijtsma, K. et al. Screening for Psychopathy: Validation of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Short Form with Reference Scores. J Psychopathol Behav Assess 35, 153–161 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-012-9333-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-012-9333-2

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