Abstract
Assessing risk of harm to self and others is an important component of psychological assessment, although methods for risk
assessment vary considerably. The Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) is frequently administered to evaluate general psychological
functioning, as well as to provide information about suicide and violence risk. The purpose of this study was to evaluate
the construct validity of the PAI Suicide (SPI) and Violence Potential (VPI) indices in a sample of 158 psychiatric outpatients
referred for psychological and neuropsychological assessment within a large northeastern academic medical center between 2007
and 2011. Results generally supported the convergent and divergent validity of both SPI and VPI when evaluating groups with
and without a history of suicide and violence risk, and effect sizes were moderate to large even after controlling for other
covariates. SPI and VPI scores were also found to vary significantly across different psychiatric groups in ways that would
be expected. Finally, we explored the relationship between SPI and VPI, and executive functioning impairment—a neuropsychological
variable found to be associated with impulsive self and other-harming behaviors. Consistent with prior research, SPI and VPI
were found to be significantly elevated in groups demonstrating executive dysfunction. The implications of these findings
and specifically the utility of using SPI and VPI in the assessment of risk are discussed.
assessment vary considerably. The Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) is frequently administered to evaluate general psychological
functioning, as well as to provide information about suicide and violence risk. The purpose of this study was to evaluate
the construct validity of the PAI Suicide (SPI) and Violence Potential (VPI) indices in a sample of 158 psychiatric outpatients
referred for psychological and neuropsychological assessment within a large northeastern academic medical center between 2007
and 2011. Results generally supported the convergent and divergent validity of both SPI and VPI when evaluating groups with
and without a history of suicide and violence risk, and effect sizes were moderate to large even after controlling for other
covariates. SPI and VPI scores were also found to vary significantly across different psychiatric groups in ways that would
be expected. Finally, we explored the relationship between SPI and VPI, and executive functioning impairment—a neuropsychological
variable found to be associated with impulsive self and other-harming behaviors. Consistent with prior research, SPI and VPI
were found to be significantly elevated in groups demonstrating executive dysfunction. The implications of these findings
and specifically the utility of using SPI and VPI in the assessment of risk are discussed.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-9
- DOI 10.1007/s10862-012-9277-6
- Authors
- Samuel Justin Sinclair, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, One Bowdoin Square, 7th Floor, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Iruma Bello, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, One Bowdoin Square, 7th Floor, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Maren Nyer, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, One Bowdoin Square, 7th Floor, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Jenelle Slavin-Mulford, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, One Bowdoin Square, 7th Floor, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Michelle B. Stein, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, One Bowdoin Square, 7th Floor, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Megan Renna, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, One Bowdoin Square, 7th Floor, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Daniel Antonius, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Mark A. Blais, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, One Bowdoin Square, 7th Floor, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Journal Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment
- Online ISSN 1573-3505
- Print ISSN 0882-2689