Criterion-Related Validity of the Three-Factor Model of Psychopathy: Personality, Behavior, and Adaptive Functioning

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-1-2004

Publication Title

Assessment

Volume

11

Issue

1

First page number:

4

Last page number:

16

Abstract

The Psychopathy Checklist–Revised (PCL-R) has been conceptualized as indexing two distinct but correlated factors. Previous research has established that these factors demonstrate distinct patterns of relations with external criteria. However, more recent findings suggest that the PCL-R psychopathy construct may encompass three distinguishable factors, reflecting affective, interpersonal, and behavioral symptoms. Here, we evaluated the validity of this newer three-factor model of the PCL-R factors with reference to external criteria from the domains of personality, antisocial behavior, and adaptive functioning in a sample of 310 incarcerated offenders. The interpersonal factor was related to social dominance, low stress reactivity, and higher adaptive functioning; the affective factor was correlated with low social closeness and violent offending; and the behavioral factor was associated with negative emotionality, disinhibition, reactive aggression, and poor adaptive functioning. These findings provide support for the convergent and discriminant validity of these psychopathy facets.

Keywords

Psychopathy; Antisocial behavior; Personality; Construct validity

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences | Psychiatry and Psychology

Language

English

UNLV article access

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