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Multidimensional scaling analysis of psychopathy in male juveniles using the PCL: YV

Holly Ellingwood (Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada)
Karla Emeno (Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Oshawa, Canada)
Craig Bennell (Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada)
Adelle Forth (Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada)
David Kosson (College of Health Professions, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois, USA)
Robert D. Hare (Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada)

Journal of Criminal Psychology

ISSN: 2009-3829

Article publication date: 28 September 2017

Issue publication date: 19 October 2017

151

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the structure of juvenile psychopathy, as measured by the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version (PCL: YV).

Design/methodology/approach

Using a sample of 2,042 male youths from the USA, Canada, and the UK, the study was a conceptual replication of Bishopp and Hare’s (2008) multidimensional scaling (MDS) analysis of adult male offenders assessed with the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised.

Findings

The scaling analyses generally replicated those obtained by Bishopp and Hare, providing support for a multidimensional, four-factor model of juvenile psychopathy similar to that obtained with adults. However, a small number of items fell outside their predicted regions. Slight differences in the structure of juvenile psychopathy were found for incarcerated and supervised samples of youth, with the four-factor model breaking down slightly for the supervised sample. Item misplacements may indicate that certain items on the PCL: YV are being misinterpreted, reflect different dimensions for different samples, or cannot be reliably measured. Future research should examine these possibilities, with special attention being paid to supervised samples.

Originality/value

To the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first known attempts to use MDS analysis to examine the psychopathy structures that emerge for male juvenile offenders. The greater nuances afforded by using MDS offer a more comprehensive understanding of psychopathy between incarcerated and supervised youth using the PCL: YV.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

Robert D. Hare receives royalties from the sale of the PCL-R, the PCL: YV, and the PCL: SV. Adelle Forth and David Kosson receives royalties from the sale of the PCL: YV.

Citation

Ellingwood, H., Emeno, K., Bennell, C., Forth, A., Kosson, D. and Hare, R.D. (2017), "Multidimensional scaling analysis of psychopathy in male juveniles using the PCL: YV", Journal of Criminal Psychology, Vol. 7 No. 4, pp. 262-279. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCP-03-2017-0019

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited

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