Abstract
Analyses of convergent validity and group assignment using self-report, caregiver-report and interview-based measures of adolescent
psychopathy were conducted in a sample of 160 incarcerated adolescents. Results reveal significant convergent validity between
caregiver-report measures of adolescent psychopathy, significant convergent validity between self-report measures of adolescent
psychopathy and an interviewer rating scale, but not between the caregiver-report measures and their corresponding self-report
measures nor between the caregiver-report measures and the interviewer rating scale. Analyses of group assignment were also
poorer than expected among all the measures with none evidencing significant agreement with the expert-rated device (Hare
Psychopathy Checklist-Youth Version; PCL-YV), the most common forensic instrument used in clinical practice. Part of the poor
agreement may be related to the poor psychometric performance of the callous-unemotional subscale of most of these measures
and the low response rates from caregivers (N = 35). These findings suggest that the measures do not provide an interchangeable assessment of callous-unemotional traits
and suggest that further refinement of the measurement of callous-unemotional traits in youth may be warranted.
psychopathy were conducted in a sample of 160 incarcerated adolescents. Results reveal significant convergent validity between
caregiver-report measures of adolescent psychopathy, significant convergent validity between self-report measures of adolescent
psychopathy and an interviewer rating scale, but not between the caregiver-report measures and their corresponding self-report
measures nor between the caregiver-report measures and the interviewer rating scale. Analyses of group assignment were also
poorer than expected among all the measures with none evidencing significant agreement with the expert-rated device (Hare
Psychopathy Checklist-Youth Version; PCL-YV), the most common forensic instrument used in clinical practice. Part of the poor
agreement may be related to the poor psychometric performance of the callous-unemotional subscale of most of these measures
and the low response rates from caregivers (N = 35). These findings suggest that the measures do not provide an interchangeable assessment of callous-unemotional traits
and suggest that further refinement of the measurement of callous-unemotional traits in youth may be warranted.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-16
- DOI 10.1007/s10802-012-9614-y
- Authors
- Brandi C. Fink, The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- Adam S. Tant, The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- Katherine Tremba, The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- Kent A. Kiehl, The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- Journal Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
- Online ISSN 1573-2835
- Print ISSN 0091-0627