Factor Structure of the Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version (PCL:SV): A Systematic Review Using Narrative Synthesis

Abstract

The Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version (PCL:SV) is often utilized in both community and forensic psychiatric settings for formulation, treatment assessments and risk assessment. Accordingly, it is essential to assess the psychometric properties of the PCL:SV. The aim of this systematic review was to synthesize research examining the PCL:SV to determine the most appropriate factor structure, independent of other PCL measures. Using a PRISMA protocol, 2893 articles were screened, with 19 included for analysis. Consistent with research on other PCL measures, the results supported the use of three- and four-factor models of PCL:SV psychopathy in community and psychiatric populations, with more tentative support for the original two-factor structure. Findings associated with the PCL:SV latent factor structure were less clear for the studies sampling forensic, nonpsychiatric populations. The choice of which PCL:SV factor structure to adopt for clinical purposes remains dependent on the clinician’s theoretical perspectives of the psychopathy construct.