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The Triarchic model (Patrick, Fowles, & Krueger, 2009) posits that psychopathy consists of three elements: Boldness, Meanness, and Disinhibition. Drislane et al. (2015) recently derived scales from the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI; Andershed, Kerr, Stattin, & Levander, 2002) to assess these traits. The initial validation efforts appeared promising, but researchers have yet to evaluate these scales among justice-involved youth. The current study examines the validity of the YPI-Triarchic scales in an archival sample of 928 male adolescent offenders and tests whether the new scales provide information incremental to the original YPI. The YPI-Triarchic scales were strongly correlated with original YPI scales (rs =.56–.96), and some associations were contrary to predictions and previous findings about the Triarchic model (e.g., YPI-Boldness was not inversely related to symptomatology). Thus, caution is warranted when attempting to study the Triarchic model with the YPI-Triarchic scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI) was designed to assess psychopathic traits in adolescents. However, there exists limited evidence for the factor structure and psychometric properties of the YPI when used with Chinese detained juveniles. The present study aimed to examine the factor structure and construct validity of the YPI and its shortened version (YPI-S) in a sample of 607 Chinese 14- to 22-year-old detained boys (M = 17.15, SD = 1.09). Confirmatory factor analyses revealed a bifactor model which best fit the data at the subscale level for the YPI, and at the item level for the YPI-S. The internal consistency of the YPI and YPI-S scores ranged from marginal to good. Both the YPI and YPI-S total and factor scores correlated positively with the APSD, an alternative psychopathic measure, as well as with proactive and reactive aggression, and correlated negatively with affective and cognitive empathy. Overall, the YPI and YPI-S are shown to be practical and valid assessment tools to measure psychopathic traits in Chinese detained youths.

The Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI) was designed to assess psychopathic traits in adolescents. However, there exists limited evidence for the factor structure and psychometric properties of the YPI when used with Chinese detained juveniles. The present study aimed to examine the factor structure and construct validity of the YPI and its shortened version (YPI-S) in a sample of 607 Chinese 14- to 22-year-old detained boys (M = 17.15, SD = 1.09). Confirmatory factor analyses revealed a bifactor model which best fit the data at the subscale level for the YPI, and at the item level for the YPI-S. The internal consistency of the YPI and YPI-S scores ranged from marginal to good. Both the YPI and YPI-S total and factor scores correlated positively with the APSD, an alternative psychopathic measure, as well as with proactive and reactive aggression, and correlated negatively with affective and cognitive empathy. Overall, the YPI and YPI-S are shown to be practical and valid assessment tools to measure psychopathic traits in Chinese detained youths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CFA results did not replicate the previously documented three-factor structure. • There was a strong association between the YPI and PAI-A-ANT. • Strong evidence of clinical utility was found. Previous research on the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI; Andershed et al., 2002) has identified a three-factor structure: Interpersonal, Affective, and Behavioral. The present study sought to test this three-factor structure and broader psychometric properties of the YPI in a sample of 328 adolescents undergoing inpatient psychiatric care. Confirmatory factor analyses were used to test the hypothesized three-factor structure of the YPI previously documented in community samples. Exploratory analyses reported on modification indices, gender invariance, and fit of a bifactor model. Additionally, the clinical utility of the YPI was examined by examined the relation between the YPI and the antisocial personality scale of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI-A-ANT; Morey, 2007). Confirmatory Factor Analysis results did not replicate the previously documented three-factor structure in the inpatient sample; a bifactor model continued to display poor (albeit improved) fit. Still, there was a strong association between the YPI (total and factor scores) and PAI-A-ANT, as such the YPI accurately identified adolescents with clinically significant antisocial traits. A cut-off score is presented for the YPI total score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Little is known about the development of psychopathic traits and the factors impacting its trajectory. Using a Latent Growth Curve Modeling (LCGM) approach with Multiple-Group Multiple-Cohort (MGMC) method to account for the cohort sequential design of the data, trajectories of the Grandiose-Manipulative (GM), the Callous-Unemotional (CU), and the Impulsive-Irresponsible (II) dimensions as measured by the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI; Andershed et al., 2002) were examined from ages 14.5–25 among a sample of serious juvenile offenders (n = 1354). It was also examined if several social risk factors (i.e., demographic characteristics, delinquent peer association, neighborhood disorder, parenting, parental criminality, and violence exposure) accounted for baseline levels (intercept) and change (slope) of each of the dimensions of psychopathic traits. While all three dimensions of the YPI declined from adolescence to young adulthood, the GM and II dimensions leveled-off sooner than the CU dimension. Delinquent peer association and parental warmth were most consistently associated with initial levels of all three dimensions; however, witnessing violence was associated with change in the GM dimension only. Delinquent peer association and parental warmth were associated with change in the CU dimension. None of the factors predicted change in the II dimension. Highlights • All three dimensions of the YPI decline from adolescence (14.5) to early adulthood (25). • The CU dimension showed the slowest decline while the GM showed the fastest decline. • The GM and II dimensions leveled-off early than the CU dimension. • Parental warmth and delinquent peer association predicted change in the CU dimension. • Witnessing violence predicted change in the GM dimension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI) and its short version (YPI-S) in a sample of 2081 Chinese 11- to 19-year-old school-attending youth ( M = 14.27, SD = 1.62). Confirmatory factor analyses showed that a bifactor model best fit the data at the subscale level for the YPI and at the item level for the YPI-S. The internal consistency of the YPI and YPI-S scores ranged from marginal to good. Measurement invariance testing revealed that the bifactor model of the YPI-S was equivalent across gender, while the bifactor model of the YPI showed moderate differences between boys and girls. Both the YPI and YPI-S total and factor scores were positively related to Antisocial Process Screening Device scores and Rule-Breaking and Aggressive behavior, though these relations were most often stronger for the YPI scores. In conclusion, the Chinese-language versions of the YPI and YPI-S hold promise as assessment tools to measure psychopathic traits in Chinese adolescents but are not without limitations. Whereas the YPI-S is more time-effective and yields scores that are more internally consistent than the YPI, the YPI seems to outperform the YPI-S in terms of convergent and criterion validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study examines a bifactor model for the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI) in a Dutch community sample of adolescents (N = 2,874). The primary goal was to examine the latent structure of the YPI with a bifactor modeling approach. Furthermore, the study examines the dimensionality and measurement invariance of the YPI. Results show that a bifactor model at subscale level fits the YPI best. The general psychopathy factor influences the 10 subscales of the YPI strongly, indicating that the YPI seems to be rather unidimensional than multidimensional. Nevertheless, the dimensions still explain nearly one third of the variance found. Findings imply that the bifactor model of the YPI should be used when examining relations with outcome variables, with a focus on the total score of the YPI, while factor scores should be reported with caution. Furthermore, the bifactor model appears invariant for gender, age, and ethnic background. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study examines how the bifactor model of the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI) is related to conduct problems in a sample of Dutch adolescents (N = 2,874; 43% female). It addresses to what extent the YPI dimensions explain variance over and above a General Psychopathy factor (i.e., one factor related to all items) and how the general factor and dimensional factors are related to conduct problems. Group differences in these relations for gender, ethnic background, and age were examined. Results showed that the general factor is most important, but dimensions explain variance over and above the general factor. The general factor, and Affective and Lifestyle dimensions, of the YPI were positively related to conduct problems, whereas the Interpersonal dimension was not, after taking the general factor into account. However, across gender, ethnic background, and age, different dimensions were related to conduct problems over and above the general factor. This suggests that all 3 dimensions should be assessed when examining the psychopathy construct. (PsycINFO Database Record [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new DSM-5 specifier 'with Limited Prosocial Emotions' (LPE) is expected to provide greater information about impairment of children and adolescents with conduct disorder (CD). This study examined the clinical utility of the LPE specifier symptom threshold among female adolescents being detained in Belgium (n= 191 girls; ages 12-17). Standardized questionnaires and a structured diagnostic interview were used to assess the LPE specifier, CD, and variables of interest. Approximately 62% (n = 118) of the girls met criteria for CD. Depending on the instrument that was used to assess the LPE specifier criteria, 26% to 37% of the girls with CD met criteria for the LPE specifier symptom threshold (CD + LPE). Overall, CD + LPE girls were not significantly different from CD-only girls regarding psychiatric morbidity (i.e., attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, substance use disorder, major depression, and anxiety disorders). However, CD + LPE girls were more aggressive, rule-breaking, delinquent, and had higher levels of psychopathic traits than CD-only girls. This study supports the view that the LPE specifier identifies a group of seriously antisocial individuals, but could not replicate previous findings that the LPE specifier symptom threshold identifies CD individuals who exhibit more psychiatric morbidity than CD individuals who are without the specifier symptom threshold. These findings altogether suggest that the clinical usefulness of the DSM-5 specifier for the diagnosis of CD is restricted, at least in detained girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the Psychopathic Personality Inventory–Revised (PPI-R) has revealed two factors: Fearless Dominance, and Self-Centered Impulsivity. This study examined the validity of these PPI-R factors in a community sample (N = 675). First, confirmatory factor analyses did not support the two-factor structure. Second, the PPI-R factors showed good convergent and discriminant validity with two other self-report measures of psychopathy, that is, the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory and Levenson’s Self-Report of Psychopathy. Third, PPI-R factors exhibited good external validity in relation to various theoretically relevant correlates. The results indicate that the PPI-R factors have good convergent, discriminant, and external validity, but confirmatory factor analysis raises concerns about the robustness of the two-factor structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The current article investigates whether self-reports of children provide reliable and valid information concerning psychopathic personality traits and behaviours. For this purpose, we developed a downward extension of an existing adolescent self-report measure; the Youth Psychopathic traits Inventory [YPI; Andershed, H., Kerr, M., Stattin, H., & Levander, S. (2002). Psychopathic traits in non-referred youths: Initial test of a new assessment tool. In E.S. Blaauw, L. (Ed.), Psychopaths: Current international perspectives (pp. 131–158): The Hague: Elsevier], called the Youth Psychopathic traits Inventory—Child Version (YPI-CV). The reliability and validity of the YPI-CV were tested in n =360 children from the general population. The YPI-CV had good internal consistency and a three factor structure similar to the original adolescent version. Test–retest reliability over a 6-month period was adequate. In validating the instrument, both self, teacher and peer report were used. The convergent and divergent validity of the three YPI-CV dimensions was examined by relating each of them to an external criterion measures assessing the same construct. It was concluded that psychopathic traits can be measured reliably and meaningfully through self-report in 9 to 12 year olds and that the YPI-CV is potentially a useful instrument for doing so. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]