Validating a Four-Factor Model of Psychopathic Personality from the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM) Across...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Forensic Psychology
• Psychometrics

Background:

• The Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM) is theoretically based on a three-dimensional model.
• Structural analyses reveal TriPM items do not align with this conceptual model.
• Existing research suggests multiple factors, some outside psychopathy's nomological network, are needed to explain TriPM items.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a measure representing the empirically supported four-factor model of psychopathy.
• To utilize theoretically relevant items from the TriPM to create a four-factor proxy measure (4FPM).
• To assess the psychometric properties and cross-sample invariance of the 4FPM.

Main Methods:

• Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed.
• Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to analyze the 4FPM items.
• Multiple group CFA was conducted to test for scalar invariance across community and incarcerated samples.

Main Results:

• The 4FPM, derived from TriPM items, effectively represents the four-factor model of psychopathy.
• Strong scalar invariance of the 4FPM was demonstrated across community and incarcerated samples.
• The 4FPM showed expected associations with external correlates and other psychopathy scales.

Conclusions:

• The 4FPM serves as a viable proxy for the four-factor model of psychopathy.
• The 4FPM demonstrates robust psychometric properties and cross-sample generalizability.
• This measure facilitates research on the four-factor model of psychopathy using existing TriPM item pools.