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The assessment of psychopathy in Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian forensic populations: A systematic review and COSMIN evaluation of the PCL-R, PCL: SV, and PCL: YV
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The assessment of psychopathy in Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian forensic populations: A systematic review and COSMIN evaluation of the PCL-R, PCL: SV, and PCL: YV

Isaac M Fullarton
Masters by Research, Murdoch University
2023
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Abstract

Psychometrics
Aim This systematic review aimed to evaluate whether there was sufficient psychometric evidence to support the use of the Psychopathy Checklist–Revised (PCL-R), the Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version (PCL: SV), and the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version (PCL: YV), in Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) and non-ATSI forensic populations. Method A systematic search of PsycINFO, ProQuest, PubMed, CINAHAL, Informit, SCOPUS, MEDLINE, and Web of Science was performed from inception to 25 June 2023. The search focused on quantitative studies of Australia offenders that reported at least one psychometric property. Psychometric properties were extracted using the Consensus-based standards for the selection of health measurement instruments (COSMIN) guidelines. Qualitative synthesis was performed on extracted psychometric data. Results Internal consistency (n = 9), inter-rater reliability (n = 13), structural validity (n = 2), hypothesis validity (n = 4), cross-cultural validity (n = 1), concurrent validity (n = 1), and predictive validity (n = 9) were assessed across seventeen papers involving 2,951 participants. The overall quality of included studies was very good, but there were gaps in the available psychometric literature across all three PCL measures. Conclusions At the present time, there does not appear to be sufficient evidence of reliability, construct validity, and criterion validity to support the use of PCL measures with Australian ATSI and non-ATSI forensic populations, particularly in the context of legal proceedings. Future research should investigate the cross-culturally validity of the psychopathy construct and the PCL-R among ATSI offenders and attempt to replicate the two-factor four-facet hierarchical structure of the PCL-R in a larger sample.

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#10 Reduced Inequalities

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