Revisiting the Psychometric Properties of the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale

Abstract

A number of studies have addressed the dimensionality and the measurement invariance of the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy scale (LSRP; Levenson, Kiehl, & Fitzpatrick, 1995). However, previous investigations exclusively relied on North American samples and mainly on statistical methods that assume data as normally and continuously distributed. The aim of this study was to further investigate dimensionality and differential item functioning for gender in the 26-item LSRP scale in a Brazilian population-based sample using analytical methods adequate for ordered categorical variables. Findings revealed strong evidence for a 2-factor model, similar to the original factor structure of the instrument. Only 3 items presented negligible differential functioning for gender. We address the implications of these results, and stress the need for expanding research on the measurement and structural invariance of the LSRP scale by means of cross-cultural investigations.