The assessment of psychopathy in male and female noncriminals: Reliability and validity

Abstract

The present study examined the reliability and validity of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised: Screening Version (PCL-R:SV; Hart, Cox & Hare, 1995, Manual for the Screening Version of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist—Revised (PCL-R:SV)) in a sample of 75 male and 75 female university students. We examined the internal structure of the PCL-R:SV and its relationship to a battery of self-report measures relevant to the construct of psychopathy. Results indicated that the PCL-R:SV had good internal consistency and interrater reliability. The distribution of psychopathy scores were significantly higher among the males than the females. A factor analysis failed to confirm the two factor structure of psychopathy previously found in forensic samples. PCL-R:SV Total scores were significantly correlated with Antisocial Personality Disorder symptoms, substance use, self-reported criminal activity, and observer ratings of interpersonal behavior. Overall, the results suggest that the PCL-R:SV is a reliable and valid measure of psychopathic traits in nonforensic populations.