Examination of Triarchic Psychopathy Measure in a Sample of Lithuanian Juvenile Offenders

Abstract

The current study aimed to evaluate the convergent and predictive validity of the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM; Patrick, 2010) in a sample of 159 Lithuanian juvenile offenders, who were sentenced to probation, from most probation departments across Lithuania. TriPM scale scores were evaluated against various self-report questionnaires, measuring history of delinquent behavior, procriminal attitudes, and the ability to manage stressors. Such scores were also validated against adverse outcomes, including risk evaluation through structured professional judgment risk assessment. In terms of predictive validity, TriPM scores predicted outcomes related to juvenile offenders’ misconduct after a 3-month follow-up period. The TriPM scale scores were associated with concurrent measures in an expected direction, with the effect sizes ranging from small to large. The area-under-the-curve results for several forms of misconduct in a 3-month follow-up period confirmed predictive validity of the TriPM scales. These findings are discussed in the context of forensic and correctional implications for TriPM research.