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On the operationalization of psychopathy: further support for a three-faceted personality oriented model
P Johansson1, H Andershed, M Kerr
1Center of Developmental Research, Department of Social Sciences, Orebro University, Sweden.
Objective:
This study is an attempt to compare two alternative models of psychopathy (PCL-R); (i) the traditional 17-item two-factor model where the first factor describes a deceitful, manipulative and callous, unemotional dimension and the second factor describes the impulsive, irresponsible and antisocial behavioral lifestyle dimension; and (ii) a recently proposed 13-item three-factor model involving an interpersonal facet, an affective facet and a behavioral facet.
Method:
Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of PCL-R scores on a sample of 293 adult male violent offenders were conducted.
Results:
The results of the exploratory factor analysis showed that the 13 items yielded three easily interpretable factors: an interpersonal factor, an affective factor and a behavioral/lifestyle factor. Through confirmatory factor analysis we showed that this model had a significantly closer fit to the data than the classical 17-item, two-factor model of the PCL-R.
Conclusion:
The study supports the three-faceted model of psychopathy.