Evaluating the validity of brief prototype‐based informant ratings of triarchic psychopathy traits in prisoners

Abstract

The validity of self‐report psychopathy assessment has been questioned, especially in forensic settings where clinical evaluations influence critical decision‐making (e.g., institutional placement, parole eligibility). Informant‐based assessment offers a potentially valuable supplement to self‐report but is challenging to acquire in under‐resourced forensic contexts. The current study evaluated, within an incarcerated sample (n = 322), the extent to which brief prototype‐based informant ratings of psychopathic traits as described by the triarchic model (boldness, meanness, disinhibition; Patrick et al., 2009) converge with self‐report trait scores and show incremental validity in predicting criterion measures. Self/informant convergence was robust for traits of boldness and disinhibition, but weaker for meanness. Informant‐rated traits showed incremental predictive validity over self‐report traits, both within and across assessment domains. These findings indicate that simple prototype‐based informant ratings of the triarchic traits can provide a useful supplement to self‐report in assessing psychopathy within forensic‐clinical settings.

Latent variable model of triarchic psychopathy constructs in an incarcerated offender sample: Factor reliability and validity.

“…Each participant was rated once, and each case manager rated an average of 6 participants ( SD = 3.5, range 3–16). Ratings were based on information available from prison files (e.g., records of social contacts and behavioral reports) and from direct observations of or experiences with each participant (e.g., during case-related meetings; see Lowman et al, 2021).…”