Casenote assessment of psychopathy in a high security hospital

✍ Scribed by Dr David Reiss; Morven Leese; Clive Meux; Don Grubin

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2001
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 74 KB
• Volume: 11
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0957-9664
• DOI: 10.1002/cbm.367

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Introduction

There is now a large amount of data demonstrating the internal reliability and construct validity of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist (PCL/PCL‐R) when used in the assessment of psychopathy in male forensic populations. It has well‐established psychometric properties when scored following a review of collateral information and a subsequent interview. However, its internal reliability and factor structure, when casenote information alone has been used, have not been examined outside North America.

Method

A sample of 89 patients from a British high security hospital, with the legal classification of psychopathic disorder, was scored retrospectively on the PCL‐R from their medical files only. The psychometric properties of the PCL‐R were analysed.

Results

The PCL‐R ratings showed a high level of internal reliability. The factor structure was very similar to that found in Hare's North American sample of forensic psychiatric patients.

Discussion

The findings support the application of the PCL‐R, when scored using existing file data alone, to a British high security hospital population. Copyright © 2001 Whurr Publishers Ltd.