The Concurrent Validity of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory and its Relative Association with Past Violence in a Sample of Insanity Acquittees

Abstract

Violence risk assessments are a critical element of dispositional decisions with individuals adjudicated Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (Shah, 1978). Given societal perceptions that mentally ill individuals are particularly dangerous (Bonta, Law, & Hanson, 1998), it is not surprising that careful scrutiny is given to individuals who are mentally ill and have already committed criminal acts. Mental health professionals are asked to accurately differentiate insanity acquittees who are likely to be violent in the community from those who are safe to be returned to the community (Foucha v. Louisiana, 1992). Further, these professionals are often asked to identify the patterns of expected violence (type, density, variety, circumstances, etc.) so that appropriate risk management plans may be developed. However, violence research focused on insanity acquittees has been limited, and reliable, valid violence risk assessment methodologies for this specialized population are not well defined. Foundational research is needed to begin the process of developing such methodologies. Historically, studies of risk factors for future violence have often been based upon earlier studies of risk factors for past violence (e.g., Quinsey, Harris, Rice, & Cormier, 1998). Psychopathy, Violence, & General OffendersHare (1980, 1991) developed the Psychopathy Checklist (PCL) and the Psychopathy Checklist -Revised (PCL-R) to assess the psychopathic personality. A briefer screening version of the measure was also later developed (PCL:SV; Hart, Cox, & Hare, 1995). Psychopaths identified by high PCL scores have histories of more varied, more frequent, and more severe types of violence both in the community and, to a lesser degree, in institutional settings (

Impulsivity, Aggression, and Psychopathic Deviation in a Sample of Iranian Adolescents and Young Adults: Gender Differences and Predictors

“…This study indicated that cognitive impulsivity and verbal aggression were positively and negatively correlated to psychopathic deviation, respectively. These findings are relatively consistent with predictions of literature and conceptualizations in the field of psychopathic and aggression (Barratt, 1995; Downloaded by [Flinders University of South Australia] at 10:27 07 October 2014 Khodarahimi, 2010a;Kruh et al, 2005;Luengo, Carrillo-de-la-Pena, Otero, & Romero, 1994;Moeller et al, 2001;Reidy et al, 2011;Reidy et al, 2007;Vitacco et al, 2002). This study suggests that cognitive impulsivity can be assumed as the indicator of biological component in development of psychopathic deviation.…”

“…Similarly, aggression has long been associated to a high rate of psychopathic behaviors in theoretical approaches and experimental evidence (Kruh et al, 2005;Porter, Birt, & Boer, 2001;Porter & Woodworth, 2006). Many studies showed significant relationships between aggressive and psychopathic Downloaded by [Flinders University of South Australia] at 10:27 07 October 2014 Impulsivity,Aggression,and Psychopathy in Iran 375 behaviors in clinical settings (Reidy, Shelley-Tremblay, & Lilienfeld, 2011;Reidy, Zeichner, Miller, & Martinez, 2007).…”

A prospective comparison of two measures of psychopathy in the prediction of institutional misconduct

“…In terms of practice issues, the PPI is meaningfully associated with future institutional behavior problems, with effect sizes in the small to medium range of magnitude (Cohen, 1988). This finding is consistent with earlier retrospective studies indicating an association with a history of misconduct (Edens et al, 1999;Kruh et al, 2005). Moreover, the fact that PPI-I and II appear to be predictive of different forms of behavior problems suggests that a consideration only of total scores may obscure a more nuanced assessment of the types of institutional disruption in which inmates engage.…”

“…In contrast to the PCL-R, the relationship between PPI scores and institutional adjustment has not been the focus of much research, although the few retrospective studies examining this association have been somewhat supportive of its postdictive validity (Edens, Poythress, & Lilienfeld, 1999;Edens, Poythress, & Watkins, 2001;Kruh et al, 2005). Edens et al (1999) reported the earliest direct comparison of the PPI and PCL-R in relation to institutional misconduct in a sample of 50 incarcerated youthful offenders.…”

Concurrent Validity of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory With Offender and Community Samples

“…In fact, the contribution of the interpersonal-affective characteristics in addition to the antisocial-impulsive dimensions is what ostensibly distinguishes psychopathy from broad externalizing disorders, such as antisocial personality disorder. In this regard, moderate correlations between the PPI total score and both PCL-R (Poythress et al, 1998) and PCL:SV (Kruh et al, 2005) Factors 1 and 2 have been reported. Yet, due to the moderate inter-correlation between the PCL factors, it may be misleading to examine only the correlations between the PPI and the PCL factors without controlling for their overlapping variance.…”