Examining the Association Between the MMPI-2-RF Triarchic Psychopathy Scales and Suicidality in a Criminal Defendant Sample

Prior research has shown that psychopathic personality traits are differentially related to suicide risk, and limited literature also suggests the potential that such risk manifests differently across sex. The current study sought to examine whether sex moderated associations between domains from the triarchic model of psychopathy, a comprehensive perspective of psychopathy, and various suicide variables. Our sample included 1,064 criminal defendants (760 males, 304 females), who had been administered the MMPI-2-RF, from which triarchic psychopathy scales were scored. Suicide-related variables, including current suicidal ideation during interview, history of previous suicide attempts, and number of previous suicide attempts, were reliably obtained from clinical records. The MMPI-2-RF SUI (Suicide/Death Ideation) scale was also examined as a psychometric operationalization of suicidality. Results provided evidence for the general association between psychopathy-related traits and suicide-related outcomes in a manner consistent with the literature. However, these associations did not differ as a function of sex.