TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessing the Basic Traits Associated With Psychopathy
T2 - Development and Validation of the Elemental Psychopathy Assessment
AU - Lynam, Donald R.
AU - Gaughan, Eric T.
AU - Miller, Joshua D.
AU - Miller, Drew J.
AU - Mullins-Sweatt, Stephanie
AU - Widiger, Thomas A.
PY - 2011/3
Y1 - 2011/3
N2 - A new self-report assessment of the basic traits of psychopathy was developed with a general trait model of personality (five-factor model [FFM]) as a framework. Scales were written to assess maladaptive variants of the 18 FFM traits that are robustly related to psychopathy across a variety of perspectives including empirical correlations, expert ratings, and translations of extant assessments. Across 3 independent undergraduate samples (N = 210-354), the Elemental Psychopathy Assessment (EPA) scales proved to be internally consistent and unidimensional, and were strongly related to the original FFM scales from which they were derived (mean convergent r = .66). The EPA scales also demonstrated substantial incremental validity in the prediction of existing psychopathy measures over their FFM counterparts. When summed to form a psychopathy total score, the EPA was substantially correlated with 3 commonly used psychopathy measures (mean r = .81). Finally, in a small male forensic sample (N = 70), the EPA was significantly correlated with scores on a widely used self-report psychopathy measure, disciplinary infractions, alcohol use, and antisocial behavior. The EPA provides an opportunity to examine psychopathy and its nomological network through smaller, more basic units of personality rather than by scales or factors that blend these elements.
AB - A new self-report assessment of the basic traits of psychopathy was developed with a general trait model of personality (five-factor model [FFM]) as a framework. Scales were written to assess maladaptive variants of the 18 FFM traits that are robustly related to psychopathy across a variety of perspectives including empirical correlations, expert ratings, and translations of extant assessments. Across 3 independent undergraduate samples (N = 210-354), the Elemental Psychopathy Assessment (EPA) scales proved to be internally consistent and unidimensional, and were strongly related to the original FFM scales from which they were derived (mean convergent r = .66). The EPA scales also demonstrated substantial incremental validity in the prediction of existing psychopathy measures over their FFM counterparts. When summed to form a psychopathy total score, the EPA was substantially correlated with 3 commonly used psychopathy measures (mean r = .81). Finally, in a small male forensic sample (N = 70), the EPA was significantly correlated with scores on a widely used self-report psychopathy measure, disciplinary infractions, alcohol use, and antisocial behavior. The EPA provides an opportunity to examine psychopathy and its nomological network through smaller, more basic units of personality rather than by scales or factors that blend these elements.
KW - Antisocial behavior
KW - Assessment
KW - Five-factor model
KW - Personality
KW - Psychopathy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79952586787&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=79952586787&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1037/a0021146
DO - 10.1037/a0021146
M3 - Article
C2 - 21171784
AN - SCOPUS:79952586787
SN - 1040-3590
VL - 23
SP - 108
EP - 124
JO - Psychological Assessment
JF - Psychological Assessment
IS - 1
ER -