Assessing the reliability and validity of the Self-Report Psychopathy Scales in a UK offender population

Abstract

This study assessed the reliability and validity of the Hare Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (Hare SRP) and the short form of the measure in a UK prison sample, using the Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R) as a reference measure. The Hare SRP and PCL-R were compared for 107 UK adult male prisoners. The SRP and SRP-SF total scores depicted excellent levels of internal consistency and homogeneity and correlated with each other with significant and large effects sizes. Total scores correlated with PCL-R total scores producing medium effect sizes and were significantly predictive of PCL-R total scores with small effect sizes. Implications for practice are discussed.

Keywords:

• self-report
• psychopathy
• Hare SRP
• PCL-R
• offenders

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Jason Morris for his assistance in data collection and to the staff at the various prisons who allowed us access and supported our data collection. Thanks also to Craig Neumann for providing the Hare SRP and for his very helpful feedback on a draft of this paper.