Construct validity of psychopathy in a community sample: A nomological netapproach

The construct validity of psychopathy was examined within a sample of 326 m ale and female university students. The interpersonal circumplex served as a nomological net for the examination of convergences between psychopathy m easures and convergent and discriminant validity with a measure of personal ity disorders was examined using a matrix approach. Measures included: (a) Antisocial scale of the Personality Assessment Inventory (Morey, 1991); (b) Self-Report Psychopathy scale (Hare, 1991); (c) Psychopathic Personality I nventory (Lilienfeld & Andrews, 1996); (d) Personality Diagnostic Questionn aire-4 (Hyler, 1994); and (e) Interpersonal Adjective Scales Revised-Big 5 (Trapnell & Wiggins, 1991). Results indicated (a) substantial convergence b etween psychopathy measures: (b) high convergent validity between psychopat hy measures and antisocial personality disorder; and (c) high discriminant validity from other personality disorders. The prevalence of psychopathy wi thin this non-forensic sample is also discussed.