A Comparison of the Construct Validity of Two Alternative Approaches to the Assessment of Psychopathy in the Community

Abstract

This study compared the validity of 2 different self-report approaches to the assessment of psychopathy in nonforensic samples: the Psychopathy Resemblance Index (PRI), derived from a measure of normal personality functioning, and the Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (SRP), developed specifically to assess the maladaptive traits associated with psychopathy. In 2 adult samples (n ₁ = 260, n₂ = 250), the PRI and the SRP were positively correlated with each other and with measures of maladaptive personality traits related to Machiavellianism and narcissism. However, unlike the SRP, the PRI was independent of trait empathy and general psychopathology and was positively associated with trait emotional intelligence. These results suggest that the PRI captures a more adaptive variant of psychopathy than does the SRP.

Notes

The Detachment scale of the SNAP–SRF assesses the personality traits associated with schizoid personality disorder (e.g., preference for solitary activities), rather than the affective deficits associated with psychopathy.

Furthermore, although the correlations between the psychopathy measures and the NEO PI–R facets were not presented due to their similarity with previously published results (e.g., Decuyper, De Pauw, De Fruyt, De Bolle, & De Clercq, 2009; Miller et al., 2001), it is noteworthy that, across both samples, the warmth facet was unrelated to the PRI (r = .02 and r = .03) but negatively related to the SRP (r = –.30 and r = –.26, p < .001).