Gt. Harris et al., PSYCHOPATHY AS A TAXON - EVIDENCE THAT PSYCHOPATHS ARE A DISCRETE CLASS, Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 62(2), 1994, pp. 387-397
Taxometric analyses were applied to the construct of psychopathy (as m
easured by the Psychopathy Checklist) and to several variables reflect
ing antisocial childhood, adult criminality, and criminal recidivism.
Subjects were 653 serious offenders assessed or treated in a maximum-s
ecurity institution. Results supported the existence of a taxon underl
ying psychopathy. Childhood problem behaviors provided convergent evid
ence for the existence of the taxon. Adult criminal history variables
were continuously distributed and were insufficient in themselves to d
etect the taxon.