Abstract
Results of a recent factor analysis of Psychopathy Checklist (PCL) data by Harpur, Hakstian and Hare ( Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 56, 741–747, 1988) enabled a re-examination of results from a previous study using the PCL in a sample of mentally abnormal offender admissions to an English Special Hospital. The latter found that the PCL (15-item version) was unable to satisfactorily discriminate psychopathic from schizophrenic offenders. Two alternative explanations for this were tested. One states that schizophrenic and psychopathic offenders share a common affective deficit. The other alternative states that both schizophrenic and psychopathic offenders share a common propensity to chronic antisocial behaviour. Scores on items from the 15-item version of the PCL which loaded on Harpur et al.'s Factor 1 (selfish, callous and remorseless use of others) and Factor 2 (chronically unstable and antisocial lifestyle) were aggregated. Results of between-group comparisons confirmed the ‘common affective deficit’ explanation and disconfirmed the alternative explanation.
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