The utility of the Psychopathy Checklist‐Revised (PCL‐R) facet and item scores in predicting violent recidivism

Abstract

There is relatively limited research on psychopathy in non-Caucasian ethnic groups and even less on the utility of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) that focuses on PCL-R facet and item scores in predicting violent recidivism. In this study, we assessed the utility of the PCL-R in prospectively predicting violent versus nonviolent recidivism during an 11-year follow-up window. A high-risk sample of 451 incarcerated Korean male offenders was assessed on the PCL-R at baseline. A total of 445 were reconvicted after release (353 violent and 92 nonviolent recidivists). Psychopathy facet scores were higher in violent compared to nonviolent recidivists. Facet 2 (affective) showed the strongest effect size (Cohen's d = 0.53; Percentage change in odds = 22.6%) in predicting violent recidivism. Analyses of the four items constituting the affective facet indicated that callous/lack of empathy (Percentage change in odds = 134.4%) and failure to accept responsibility (Percentage change in odds = 94.5%) were the strongest predictors of violent recidivism. Findings are to our knowledge the first to document the utility of the PCL-R in distinguishing violent from nonviolent recidivism and highlight the role of affective impairment (particularly lack of empathy) in violent recidivism.

Interpersonal and Affective Facets and Items of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) in Predicting Child Sex Offending*An earlier version of this study was presented at 2019 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Criminology.

“…Most of all, lacks in responsibility and empathy, which are facet 2 items, were the strongest predictors to identify child sex offenders from other recidivists. The utility of facet 2 and its items to predict violent and sexual crimes has been reported, even though not many studies focused on affective traits (Schimmenti et al, 2014;Sohn et al, 2020aSohn et al, , 2020bYang et al, 2010). In these studies, facet 2 and its items over other facets/items better predicted violent crimes including child sex offending than other types of crime.…”

“…Sohn, Raine, and Lee (2020a) reported that facet 2 plays a major role (Cohen’s d = 0.53) in predicting violent recidivism and the callousness appears to be the strongest item of facet 2. In another study, facets 2 and 3 are more predictive of sexual recidivism (Sohn, Raine, & Lee, 2020b). In this study, callous/lack of empathy and failure to accept responsibility (items of facet 2) were identified as the most predictive of sexual recidivism compared to violent but nonsexual and general recidivism.…”

A Link between Psychopathy Affect and Instrumentality in Homicide

“…Evidence for the role of the affective facet 2 in predicting violent crimes has been found in non-Western violent offenders (Sohn & Lee, 2021; Sohn, Raine, et al, 2020; Sohn, Reyes, et al, 2020). Korean offenders who reconvicted for violent crimes had significantly higher facet 2 scores than those who committed nonviolent crimes (Sohn, Raine, et al, 2020). Furthermore, sexual recidivists scored significantly higher on facet 2 compared to recidivists who committed homicide, robbery, burglary, and misdemeanor (Sohn & Lee, 2021).…”

Pharmacotherapy of Primary Impulsive Aggression in Violent Criminal Offenders

“…According to Hare, Factor 1 is counterintuitively more predictive of violence than Factor 2 ( Hare, 2021 ). In contrast, in a recent study of 445 Korean men incarcerated then released, Facet 2 showed the strongest effect size in predicting violent recidivism ( Sohn et al, 2019 ). Other studies found behavioral characteristics of psychopathy were more predictive of both general and violent recidivism ( Walters et al, 2008 ; Kennealy et al, 2010 ).…”