Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Elucidating the Construct Validity of the Antisocial Process Screening Device (APSD) in a Sample of Young Adults

  • Published:
Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The current investigation sought to examine whether an adolescent-focused measure of psychopathic personality traits, the Antisocial Process Screening Device (APSD; Frick and Hare 2001), could be appropriately used with young adults. Using a sample of university students, we examined the construct validity of the APSD by evaluating the latent factor structure and examining convergent and discriminant validity of factor scores. Results of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) indicated that a three factor structure had optimal fit in the current sample. We also compared these model results to a sample of juvenile delinquents, and these analyses indicated that the factor structure was generally invariant across these two samples. Correlation and multiple regression analyses, which examined associations between the APSD and conceptually-relevant external criteria, supported the convergent and discriminant validity of the APSD total and factor scores across two major age categories and differing samples. Implications of these results and directions for future research are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Analyses with all scale scores from the ESI are available from the authors by request.

References

  • Andershed, H. (2010). Stability and change of psychopathic traits: What do we know? In R. T. Salekin & D. R. Lynam (Eds.), Handbook of child and adolescent psychopathy (pp. 233–250). New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benning, S. D., Patrick, C. J., Hicks, B. M., Blonigen, D. M., & Krueger, R. F. (2003). Factor structure of the psychopathic personality inventory: Validity and implications for clinical assessment. Psychol Assess, 15, 340–351.doi:10.1037/1040-3590.15.3.340.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Benning, S. D., Patrick, C. J., Salekin, R. T., & Leistico, A. M. R. (2005). Convergent and discriminant validity of psychopathy factors assessed via self-report: A comparison of three instruments. Assessment, 12, 270–289. doi:10.1177/1073191105277110.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ben-Porath, Y. S., & Tellegen, A. (2008). Minnesota multiphasic personality inventory–2 restructured form: manual for administration, scoring, and interpretation. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Byrd, A. L., Kahn, R. E., & Pardini, D. A. (2013). A validation of the inventory of callous-unemotional traits in a community sample of young adult males. Journal Psychopathology Behavioral Assessment, 35(1), 20–34. doi:10.1007/s10862-012-9315-4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheung, G., & Rensvold, R. (2002). Evaluating goodness-of-fit indexes for testing measurement invariance. Structural Equation Modeling, 9(2), 233–255. doi:10.1207/S15328007SEM0902_5

  • Clark, L. A., & Watson, D. (1995). Constructing validity: Basic issues in objective scale development. Psychological Assessment, 7, 309–319. doi:10.1037/1040-3589.7.3.309.

  • Cronbach, L. J., & Meehl, P. E. (1955). Construct validity in psychological tests. Psychological Bulletin, 52, 281–302. doi:10.1037/h0040957.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dillard, C. L., Salekin, R. T., Barker, E. D., & Grimes, R. D. (2013). Psychopathy in adolescent offenders: An item response theory study of the antisocial process screening device—self report and the psychopathy checklist: Youth version. Personality Disorders Theory Research Treatment, 4, 101–120. doi:10.1037/a0028439.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fite, P. J., Greening, L., Stoppelbein, L., & Fabiano, G. A. (2009). Confirmatory factor analysis of the antisocial process screening device with a clinical inpatient population. Assessmentment, 16, 103–114. doi:10.1177/1073191108319893.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frick, P. J. (2003). The inventory of callous-unemotional traits. The University of New Orleans: Unpublished rating scale.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frick, P. J., Bodin, S. D., & Barry, C. T. (2000). Psychopathic traits and conduct problems in community and clinic-referred samples of children: Further development of the psychopathy screening device. Psychology Assessment, 12, 382–393. doi:10.1037/1040-3590.12.4.382.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frick, P. J., & Hare, R. D. (2001). Antisocial processes screening device. Toronto: Multi-Health Systems.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hare, R. D. (2003). The hare psychopathy checklist – revised (2nd ed.). North Tonawanda: Multi-Health Systems.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hu, L., & Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 6, 1–55. doi:10.1080/10705519909540118.

  • Kimonis, E. R., Frick, P. J., Skeem, J. L., Marsee, M. A., Cruise, K., Munoz, L. C., & Morris, A. S. (2008). Assessing callous-unemotional traits in adolescent offenders: Validation of the inventory of callous-unemotional traits. International Journal Law Psychiatry, 31(3), 241–252. doi:10.1016/j.ijlp.2008.04.002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kline, R. B. (2011). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling (3rd ed.). New York: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kosson, D. S., Smith, S. S., & Newman, J. P. (1990). Evaluating the construct validity of psychopathy in black and white male inmates: Three preliminary studies. Journal Abnormal Psychology, 99, 250–259. doi:10.1037/0021-843X.99.3.250.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kotler, J. S., & McMahon, R. J. (2005). Child psychopathy: Theories, measurement, and relations with the development and persistence of conduct problems. Clinical Child Family Psychology Review, 8, 291–325. doi:10.1007/s10567-005-8810-5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kotler, J. S., & McMahon, R. J. (2010). Assessment of child and adolescent psychopathy. In R. T. Salekin & D. R. Lynam (Eds.), Handbook of child and adolescent psychopathy (pp. 79–109). New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krueger, R. F., Markon, K. E., Patrick, C. J., Benning, S. D., & Kramer, M. D. (2007). Linking antisocial behavior, substance use, and personality: An integrative quantitative model of the adult externalizing spectrum. Journal Abnormal Psychology, 116, 645–666. doi:10.1037/0021-843X.116.4.645.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lilienfeld, S. O., & Andrews, B. P. (1996). Development and preliminary validation of a self-report measure of psychopathic personality traits in noncriminal populations. Journal Personality Assessment, 66, 488–524. doi:10.1207/s15327752jpa6603_3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Little, T. D. (2013). Longitudinal structural equation modeling. New York: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marsh, H. W., Hau, K. T., & Grayson, D. (2005). Goodness of fit in structural equation models. In A. Maydeu-Olivares, J.J. McArdle (Eds.) (Contemporary psychometrics: A festschrift for Roderick P. McDonald. Multivariate applications book series, pp. 275–340). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Muñoz, L. C., & Frick, P. J. (2007). The reliability, stability, and predictive utility of the self-report version of the Antisocial Process Screening Device. Scandinavian Journal Psychology, 48, 299–312. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9450.2007.00560.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muthén, L. K., & Muthén, B. O. (2010). Mplus user’s guide (6th ed.). Los Angeles: Muthén & Muthén.

    Google Scholar 

  • Muthén, L., & Muthén, B. (2011). MPlus (Version 6.12) [Computer software]. Los Angeles, CA: Muthén & Muthén.

  • Neal, T. M. S., & Sellbom, M. (2012). Examining the factor structure of the hare self-report psychopathy scale. Journal Personality Disorders, 94, 244–253. doi:10.1080/00223891.2011.648294.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patrick, C. J., Fowles, D. C., & Krueger, R. F. (2009). Triarchic conceptualization of psychopathy: Developmental origins of disinhibition, boldness, and meanness. Developmental Psychopathology, 21, 913–938. doi:10.1017/S0954579409000492.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paulhus, D. L., Neumann, C. S., & Hare, R. D. (in press). Manual for the Hare Self-Report Psychopathy scale. Toronto: Multi-Health Systems.

  • Poythress, N. G., Dembo, R., Wareham, J., & Greenbaum, P. E. (2006). Construct validity of the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI) and the Antisocial Process Screening Device (APSD) with justice-involved adolescents. Criminal Justice Behavior, 33, 26–55. doi:10.1177/0093854805282518.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raine, A., Dodge, K., Loeber, R., Gatzke-Kopp, L., Lynam, D., Reynolds, C., Stouthamer-Loeber, M., & Jianghong, L. (2006). The reactive-proactive aggression questionnaire: Differential correlates of reactive and proactive aggression in adolescent boys. Aggressive Behavior, 32, 159–171. doi:10.1002/ab.20115.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Salekin, R. T. (2006). Psychopathy in children and adolescents: Key issues in conceptualization and assessment. In C. J. Patrick (Ed.), Handbook of psychopathy (pp. 389–414). New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Salekin, R. T., & Lynam, D. R. (2010). Handbook of child and adolescent psychopathy. New York, Guilford Press.

  • Salekin, R. T., Rosenbaum, J., Lee, Z., & Lester, W. S. (2009). Child and adolescent psychopathy: Like a painting by Monet. Youth Violence Juvenile Justice, 7, 239–255. doi:10.1177/1541204009333832.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seagrave, D., & Grisso, T. (2002). Adolescent development and the measurement of juvenile psychopathy. Law Human Behavior, 26, 219–239. doi:10.1023/A:1014696110850.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sellbom, M., & Phillips, T. R. (2013). An examination of the triarchic conceptualization of psychopathy in incarcerated and nonincarcerated samples. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 122, 208–214. doi:10.1037/a0029306.

  • Sellbom, M., Ben-Porath, Y. S., Patrick, C. J., Wygant, D. B., Gartland, D. M., & Stafford, K. P. (2012). Development and construct validation of the MMPI-2-RF indices of global psychopathy, fearless-dominance, and impulsive-antisociality. Personality Disorders Theory Research Treatment, 3, 17–38. doi:10.1037/a0023888.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skeem, J. L., Edens, J. F., Camp, J., & Colwell, I. H. (2004). Are there ethnic differences in levels of psychopathy? A meta-analysis. Law Human Behavior, 28, 505–527. doi:10.1023/B:LAHU.0000046431.93095.d8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sullivan, E. A., & Kosson, D. S. (2006). Ethnic and cultural variations in psychopathy. In C. J. Patrick (Ed.), Handbook of psychopathy (pp. 437–458). New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Venables, N. C., & Patrick, C. J. (2012). Validity of the externalizing spectrum inventory in a criminal offender sample: Relations with disinhibitory psychopathology, personality, and psychopathic features. Psychology Assessment, 24, 88–100. doi:10.1037/a0024703.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vitacco, M. J., Rogers, R., & Neumann, C. S. (2003). The antisocial process screening device: An examination of its construct and criterion-related validity. Assessment, 10, 143–150. doi:10.1177/1073191103010002005.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of Interest

None.

Experiment Participants

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA

    Brandee E. Goodwin & Randall T. Salekin

  2. Research School of Psychology, The Australian National University, Building 39, Canberra, 0200, Australia

    Martin Sellbom

Authors
  1. Brandee E. Goodwin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Martin Sellbom
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Randall T. Salekin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Martin Sellbom.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Goodwin, B.E., Sellbom, M. & Salekin, R.T. Elucidating the Construct Validity of the Antisocial Process Screening Device (APSD) in a Sample of Young Adults. J Psychopathol Behav Assess 37, 1–11 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-014-9444-z

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-014-9444-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation