Factor Structure of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist

Youth Version (PCLYV) in Incarcerated Adolescents

Neumann, Craig S.
Kosson, David S.
Forth, Adelle E.
Hare, Robert D.

¹Department of Psychology, University of North Texas
²Department of Psychology, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
³Department of Psychology, Carleton University
⁴Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia.

⁵Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Craig S. Neumann, Department of Psychology, P.O. Box 311280, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203. E-mail: [email protected].

We are grateful to Michael Caldwell, LeAnn Carney, Ray Corrado, Derek Indoe, Eldon Olson, Roy O'Shaughnessy, Kathleen Lewis, Todd Willoughby, and Gina Vincent for providing much of the data analyzed in these studies. These samples are described in greater detail in the PCL: YV Manual (). Adelle E. Forth, David S. Kosson, and Robert D. Hare are coauthors of the Psychopathy Checklist—Youth Version (PCL-YV), published by Multi-Health Systems, Inc., 3770 Victoria Park Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2H 3M6 and receive royalties from its sale.

Received Date: April 7, 2004;Revised Date: January 10, 2006;Accepted Date: January 11, 2006

Psychological Assessment 18(2):p 142-154, June 2006.

Two studies are reported on the underlying dimensions of the psychopathy construct in adolescents as measured by the Hare Psychopathy Checklist—Youth Version (PCL: YV; ). In Study 1, the PCL: YV item ratings for 505 male adolescents incarcerated in 5 different settings in North America were used to test the fit of 3 models that have been hypothesized to represent the structure of psychopathy in adults. A 4th model based on parceling PCL: YV items was also tested. In Study 2, these models were tested with a sample of 233 male adolescents incarcerated in 2 facilities in the United Kingdom. Model fit results indicated that the 18-item 4-factor model developed by and a modified version of a 13-item 3-factor model developed by were associated with generally good fit. Because the 4-factor model is a less saturated model than the 3-factor model (better parameter to data point ratio), it survived a riskier test of disconfirmation. Implications for the nature of psychopathy in youth are discussed.