Abstract
The Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM) is based on the triarchic psychopathy model proposed by Patrick, Fowles, and Krueger in 2009. This paper assesses the convergent validity of TriPM using a number of measures for a sample of adolescents who are either incarcerated or on probation. These included the Short-Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability: Adolescent Version (START: AV); the Subtypes of Antisocial Behavior Questionnaire (STAB); the Criminal Sentiments Scale-Modified (CSS-M); and the Measure of Criminal Social Identity (MCSI). The results showed significant differences between groups that are incarcerated and those on probation, with the incarcerated sample of juveniles exhibiting higher ratings in terms of Disinhibition and lower ratings for Boldness. The TriPM measures examined also show expected positive correlations with concurrent measures related to criminal behavior in both of the aforementioned samples of juveniles. A different pattern of correlations was observed between Boldness and STAB scales, with a large positive correlation found in the incarcerated sample, while no significant correlations were detected in the probation sample. The results support the usefulness of TriPM in assessing the psychopathy in samples of the juvenile offenders chosen for our research purposes.
Highlights
In the last 20 years, there has been a steady increase in published theoretical and empirical literature on psychopathy [1]
In order to test the convergent validity of the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM) psychopathy measure, we investigated the associations between TriPM and psychopathy related measurements
Disinhibition and Meanness were positively associated with aggression, rule breaking behavior, and pro-criminal attitudes in incarcerated and probation juvenile samples
Summary
In the last 20 years, there has been a steady increase in published theoretical and empirical literature on psychopathy [1]. Psychopathy is associated with aggressive [2], violent criminal behavior [3,4,5]. It is only reasonable that there is increasing interest in the assessment of adolescents who exhibit psychopathic traits. Despite the fact that research in the area of juvenile psychopathy is rapidly expanding, it is still unclear what psychopathy in youth entails, and how it intersects with behaviors that are accepted as abnormal [6]. The early identification of youth who exhibit psychopathic traits could help us to arrest their descent into antisocial lives [8]. We must exercise caution when assessing psychopathy traits in youth, lest we assign a label that may be difficult to remove. The indiscriminate application of such concepts for an adolescent can have
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