Factor structure and behavioural correlates of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised [PCL-R] in a Brazilian prisoner sample

• Published in: Personality and individual differences Vol. 45; no. 7; pp. 584 - 590
• Main Authors: Flores-Mendoza, Carmen E., Alvarenga, Marco Antônio Silva, Herrero, Óscar, Abad, Francisco José
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2008; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Brazil; Brazilian people; Latin American; Medical sciences; PCL-R; Personality tests; Prisoners; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychometrics. Diagnostic aid systems; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychopathy; Techniques and methods; South America; Brazil; America; PCL-R; Brazil; Psychopathy; Latin American; Human; Prisoner; Psychopathy Checklist Hare; Factor analysis; Psychometrics; Latinamerican; Behavioral disorder; Test validation; Psychopathia; Social behavior disorder
• ISSN: 0191-8869; 1873-3549
• DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2008.06.016

The present study examines the reliability, factor structure, and criterion-related validity of Hare (2003) Revised Psychopathy Checklist [PCL-R] in a Latin American forensic context. Brazilian male inmates (124) were administered the PCL-R, along with relevant subscales of an inventory of normal personality [Personality Factorial Inventory], an intelligence scale [Standard Progressive Matrices], and a semi-structured interview based in DSM IV. Criminal offence records were obtained from prison files. Several theoretical factorial structures for the PCL-R were tested and compared. A bifactor model with three factors, one general factor reflecting the overlap across all items, and two independent subfactors reflecting the unique covariation among particular groups of items, shows the better fit. Overall scores on the PCL-R correlated with the number of criminal offenses committed by participants. No significant correlations were found between PCL-R scores and personality or intelligence measures. It was concluded that the PCL-R is a reliable and valid instrument for the assessment of psychopathy in the Brazilian male forensic population.