A taxometric analysis of the Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version (PCL:SV): further evidence of dimensionality.
A taxometric analysis of the Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version (PCL:SV; S. D. Hart, D. N. Cox, & R. D. Hare, 1995) was performed on a group of 2,250 male and female forensic/psychiatric patients and jail/prison inmates. The 4 PCL:SV facet scores (Interpersonal, Affective, Impulsive Lifestyle, Antisocial Behavior) served as indicators in this study, and the data were analyzed with 3 principal taxometric procedures--mean above minus below a cut, maximum eigenvalue, and latent mode factor analysis. The results show evidence of dimensional structure on the PCL:SV in the full sample as well as in all 8 subsamples (men, women, Whites, Blacks, hospital patients, jail/prison inmates, file review with an interview, file review without an interview). These findings corroborate recent taxometric research on the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (R. D. Hare, 1991, 2003) in which results have been largely dimensional in nature. It is concluded that scores on the PCL:SV differ quantitatively as points on a dimension (high vs. low psychopathy) rather than partitioning into qualitatively distinct categories of behavior (psychopath vs. nonpsychopath).
Walters
Glenn D
GD
Psychology Services, Federal Correctional Institute-Schuylkill, Minersville, PA 17954, USA. gwalters@bop.gov
Gray
Nicola S
NS
Jackson
Rebecca L
RL
Sewell
Kenneth W
KW
Rogers
Richard
R
Taylor
John
J
Snowden
Robert J
RJ
D000328:Adult; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires