NCJ Number
212860
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 33 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2006 Pages: 26-55
Date Published
February 2006
Length
30 pages
Annotation
This study assessed the reliability and construct validity of the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI) and the Antisocial Process Screening Device (APSD), two measures of psychopathy, for their use with justice-involved adolescent populations.
Abstract
Results indicated that the YPI appeared to be the better of the two measures for assessing psychopathic traits in adolescents. Poor reliability was discovered for both scales under examination in terms of their assessment of the affective aspects of psychopathic features. However, the YPI exhibited high internal consistency, which was generally superior to that of the APSD, yet both models failed replication when examined using confirmatory factor analysis. Construct validity was demonstrated by both the YPI and the APSD through expected correlations with criminal justice and psychological variables. Methodology involved administering the YPI and the APSD to 165 youths referred to the Juvenile Arbitration (JA) program in Tampa, FL who were recruited by the researchers at their initial JA appointment. Participants were administered the YPI and the APSD in their homes using paper and pencil; measures under analysis included antisocial traits, psychopathic traits, self-reported delinquency, substance use, and internalizing and externalizing problems. The authors note that the study did not examine the stability of psychopathic traits over time and thus does not provide information on the scales usefulness in applied setting by developmental psychologists. Tables, figures