Citation

Cooke DJ, Michie C, Hart SD, Clark D. Br. J. Psychiatry 2005; 186: 335-341.

Affiliation

Glascow Caledonian University and Douglas Inch Centre, Glasgow, UK. djcooke@rgardens.vianw.co.uk

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Royal College of Psychiatry)

DOI

10.1192/bjp.186.4.335

PMID

15802692

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of psychopathy is important for violence risk assessment. AIMS: To investigate whether the syndromal structure of psychopathy, as measured by the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), is the same in the UK and North America, and whether this measure yields scores that are equivalent in these two regions. METHOD: Confirmatory factor analytic and item response theory methods were applied to large samples of PCL-R ratings. RESULTS: The syndromal structure of psychopathy was invariant across cultures, three distinct factors underpinning the superordinate syndrome of psychopathy. However, PCL-R scores were not equivalent across cultures: the same level of psychopathy was associated with lower PCL-R scores in the UK. Items that reflected affective symptoms had the highest cross-cultural stability. CONCLUSIONS: Scores on the PCL-R obtained in the UK are not directly comparable with those obtained in North America. Care must be exercised when the PCL-R is used to make important clinical decisions in the UK.

Language: en