DIAGNOSIS OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY WITH AND WITHOUT AN INTERVIEW

This research compared independent ratings of criminal psychopathy (Ha re's Psychopathy Checklist, Hare, 1991) from National Parole Board cas e files alone with ratings based upon file information plus a semi-str uctured interview. Notwithstanding high interrater reliability using N ational Parole Board (NPB) case files alone (n = 35), Psychopathy Chec klist (PCL-R) scores had to be prorated because 30% of the items could not be scored. Comparisons between file only and independent file plu s interview ratings of criminal psychopathy for a larger sample (N = 1 20) resulted in relatively low interrater reliability. Interrater agre ement for ratings of psychopathy with and without an interview was sta tistically significant (p < .006), yet 40% of the cases received diffe rent diagnoses when the different procedures were used. Contrary to ea rlier findings (Wong, 1988), file only PCL-R ratings were not routinel y an underestimate of file plus interview PCL-R ratings.