The Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
The Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised: Evaluation of Its Psychometric Properties, Incremental Validity, and Moderating Effects of Gender in a Correctional Sample by Natalia L. Nikolova M.A. (Psychology), Simon Fraser University, 2009 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Psychology Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Natalia L. Nikolova 2013 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Summer 2013 Approval Name: Natalia L. Nikolova Degree: Doctor of Philosophy (Psychology) Title of Thesis: The Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised: Evaluation of Its Psychometric Properties, Incremental Validity, and Moderating Effects of Gender in a Correctional Sample Examining Committee: Chair: Robert Ley Associate Professor Kevin S. Douglas Senior Supervisor Associate Professor Stephen D. Hart Supervisor Professor Marlene M. Moretti Supervisor Professor William Glackman Internal Examiner Associate Professor School of Criminology Martin Sellbom External Examiner Assistant Professor Department of Psychology University of Alabama Date Defended/Approved: May 10, 2013 ii Partial Copyright Licence iii Ethics Statement The author, whose name appears on the title page of this work, has obtained, for the research described in this work, either: a. human research ethics approval from the Simon Fraser University Office of Research Ethics, or b. advance approval of the animal care protocol from the University Animal Care Committee of Simon Fraser University; or has conducted the research c. as a co-investigator, collaborator or research assistant in a research project approved in advance, or d. as a member of a course approved in advance for minimal risk human research, by the Office of Research Ethics. A copy of the approval letter has been filed at the Theses Office of the University Library at the time of submission of this thesis or project. The original application for approval and letter of approval are filed with the relevant offices. Inquiries may be directed to those authorities. Simon Fraser University Library Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada update Spring 2010 Abstract This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised (PPI–R) in a mixed gender correctional sample. Results revealed support for the internal consistency of all of the PPI–R scales, for the predictive validity of the PPI–R total and the Self-Centered Impulsivity (SCI) factor scores vis-à-vis recidivism, and for the predictive validity of the total score with regard to violent offense(s). In addition, there was evidence of PPI–R score differences across gender. Nevertheless, there was no support for the predictive utility of the PPI–R factor or content scale scores with regard to the type of offense(s), for the incremental validity of the PPI–R relative to general measures of personality or a community risk/needs assessment instrument in terms of predicting future violence or crimes, or for the moderating effects of gender on the predictive utility of the PPI–R with regard to recidivism or type of offense(s). Finally, potential practical implications regarding the use of the PPI–R at correctional facilities that could aid in the treatment and management of offenders are discussed. Further research is needed to determine the generalizability of these findings, and to expand the empirical support for the psychometric properties of the PPI–R. Keywords: Psychopathy; PPI–R; reliability; predictive validity; gender differences; moderating effects; incremental validity iv Dedication I dedicate this work to my parents, sister, and aunt: your loving support during the entire process was invaluable. I also dedicated it to my partner, John: without your encouragement, understanding, and reassurance I would not be where I am now. v Acknowledgements I am extremely grateful to everyone who was involved and made the completion of this project possible. First, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Kevin S. Douglas, my senior supervisor, for being such an amazing mentor. He was always supportive and available to provide invaluable guidance and feedback, and was very generous in sharing his insight and expertise. The criticism he provided was always constructive and delivered gently, which I appreciated very much. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with him over the past several years, as it was a remarkable experience and I learned a lot! I would also like to thank Dr. Stephen D. Hart and Dr. Marlene M. Morretti who served as supervisory committee members. Their support throughout the entire process meant a lot, and their invaluable expertise, constructive advice, and feedback really helped improve this project. Special thanks go to my external examiner, Dr. Martin Sellbom, who travelled from Alabama to attend the defense in person, and provided thoughtful questions and insightful feedback during the defense. Thank you also to my internal examiner, Dr. William Glackman, for his well thought out questions regarding this project. I am thankful to all who were present during my defense for creating such a kind and collegial atmosphere, and for making it an unforgettable experience. I would like to express my sincere thanks to my close friends and colleagues, Andrea Gibas and Diane Strub, as well as my partner, John W. Lewin, for their invaluable support and inspiration, and for donating their time so generously during the final editing stages of this document. My special thanks also go to my family and close friends for their emotional support, encouragement, and reassurance during the entire process, as without it I am not entirely convinced I would have endured. My keen appreciation goes to Anita Turner, Graduate Program Assistant, for always being so responsive, knowledgeable, and willing to help, as well as for her assistance in sorting through the administrative aspect of this process. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, British Columbia, for allowing me access to their data and resources, as without their assistance this project would not have been possible. vi Table of Contents Approval .......................................................................................................................... ii Partial Copyright Licence ............................................................................................... iii Abstract .......................................................................................................................... iv Dedication ....................................................................................................................... v Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................ vi Table of Contents .......................................................................................................... vii List of Tables ................................................................................................................... x List of Figures................................................................................................................ xiii List of Acronyms ............................................................................................................xiv 1. Introduction .......................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Psychopathy and Social Deviance or Crime ........................................................... 2 1.2. Conceptualizations of Psychopathy ........................................................................ 4 1.3. Frequently Used Measures of Psychopathy ........................................................... 8 1.3.1. Interview-Based Measures/Observer-Ratings of Psychopathy .................... 8 Psychopathy Checklist–Revised ................................................................. 8 Comprehensive Assessment of Psychopathic Personality– Institutional Rating Scale (CAPP–IRS) ................................................ 10 1.3.2. Self-Report Measures of Psychopathy ...................................................... 11 Levenson Primary and Secondary Psychopathy Scales (LPSP) ............... 15 Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (SRP) ...................................................... 16 1.3.3. Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI) .................................................. 17 Psychopathic Personality Inventory: Short Form ....................................... 23 Psychopathic Personality Inventory–Revised (PPI–R) .............................. 24 1.4. Incremental Validity of Psychopathy ..................................................................... 26 1.5. Psychopathy and Gender ..................................................................................... 28 1.5.1. Why Study Psychopathy among Females? ............................................... 28 1.5.2. Differences in Symptoms and Symptom Severity ...................................... 29 1.5.3. Differences in Behavioral Manifestation, Clinical Presentation, and Comorbidity ............................................................................................... 33 1.5.4. Differences with Regard to Personality and Behavioral Correlates, and Recidivism ......................................................................................... 36 1.5.5. Factor Structure of Commonly-Used Psychopathy