title: An examination of the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version (PCL:YV) among male adolescent offenders: an item response theory analysis.
abstract: This study examined the applicability of the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version (PCL:YV; Forth, Kosson, & Hare, 2003) among a large sample of serious offending adolescent males. Adopting an item response theory approach, item properties of the PCL:YV were examined using the generalized partial credit model. Results showed that need for stimulation, "irresponsibility," and callous & unemotional were sensitive to changes in respondents' varying psychopathy levels, whereas lack of realistic, long-term goals; superficial charm; and revocation of conditional release were less so (quoted PCL:YV item published with permission by Multi-Health Systems, Inc.; see full permissions statement in footnote 1 in the article; other items are paraphrased). Substantial differential item functioning was also found in 15 of the 20 PCL:YV items among Caucasian, African American, and Hispanic offending boys, indicating that item functioning was not invariant across race/ethnicity. Questions remain regarding whether the construct of psychopathy as assessed with the PCL:YV is equivalent across adolescents in general and across different race/ethnic groups in particular.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology.
authors.forename: Siny
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.affiliation: School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, University of Texas.
authors.forename: Alex R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Piquero
authors.affiliation: School of Social Ecology, University of California.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cauffman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D057189:Checklist / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results