The Abbreviated Psychopathy Measure (APM): Two Pilot Studies of a Brief Measure of Psychopathy Traits

Abstract

Two studies were undertaken to examine preliminary construct validity of a newly developed, abbreviated measure of psychopathy. The Abbreviated Psychopathy Measure (APM) is a 33-item inventory that is closely modeled on the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM; Patrick, 2010), with a new and more parsimonious set of items. Analyses in Study 1 (N = 126) found that the Boldness, Meanness, and Disinhibition scales of the APM had high internal consistency reliabilities and were highly correlated with their counterpart scales on the TriPM. The APM Total score was very highly correlated with the TriPM Total score (r = .90). Each of the APM scales was also significantly correlated with a measure of Antisocial Intent. In Study 2 (N = 140), the APM was very highly correlated with the Total score of a 36-item version of the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (LSRP; Levenson, Kiehl, & Fitzpatrick, 1995). Additionally, the APM scales were associated differentially with normal range personality variables associated with psychopathy (e.g., Boldness was robustly associated with Extraversion, Meanness was highly and inversely associated with Agreeableness, Disinhibition was robustly and negatively associated with Conscientiousness). The APM appeared to differ most significantly from the TriPM in that APM Boldness was moderately correlated with Meanness and Disinhibition. APM Boldness may capture a more maladaptive quality of boldness relative to TriPM Boldness through a greater emphasis on low harm avoidance or fearlessness in comparison to TriPM Boldness. The APM is potentially a promising brief measure of psychopathy; however, further study is needed to determine whether the moderately inter-correlated APM scales can distinguish among conceptually relevant constructs. Directions for future research are discussed.

The Abbreviated Psychopathy Measure-2: associations with normal-range and maladaptive personality traits

“…Whether this might hold true for APM-2 Meanness remains to be seen. The current finding is also consistent with the previous finding (Semel, 2018) that APM Meanness was strongly associated (negatively) with Agreeableness as assessed with the Big Five Inventory (BFI; John, Donahue, & Kentle, 1991). Very low agreeableness/very high antagonism is considered by some (see Miller & Lynam, 2015) to be most essential to the construct of psychopathy.…”

“…Very low agreeableness/very high antagonism is considered by some (see Miller & Lynam, 2015) to be most essential to the construct of psychopathy. Similar to the finding by Semel (2018), Hall et al (2014) found that PPI-Meanness was a very robust…”

“…The APM, now in updated form (APM-2), is a brief measure of psychopathy based on the triarchic model which is potentially appealing as it is moderately economical in research contexts. As noted previously by Semel (2018), it will be important to determine whether the APM triarchic scales are associated with maladaptive personality traits that are within the psychopathy nomological network. A more nuanced examination of the relationship between the APM-2 scales and specific personality traits or facets may be helpful for this purpose.…”

“…Recently, a new, abbreviated measure, based on the triarchic model but with different items, was developed by this author (Semel, 2018). This new measure, composed of 33 items and termed the Abbreviated Psychopathy Measure (APM), was developed not as a short form of the TriPM, but rather as an alternative, shorter operationalization of the triarchic model which may be more economical in some research contexts.…”

“…This new measure, composed of 33 items and termed the Abbreviated Psychopathy Measure (APM), was developed not as a short form of the TriPM, but rather as an alternative, shorter operationalization of the triarchic model which may be more economical in some research contexts. In two pilot studies by Semel (2018),…”