Can HEXACO-PI-R Adequately Represent the Four-Factor Model of Psychopathy?

Abstract

Recently there have been attempts to measure psychopathy via existing personality inventories. The aim of the present research was to explore whether six-factors personality structure (measured by HEXACO-PI-R) can be used for the assessment of the psychopathy model consisted of four traits: interpersonal, affective, lifestyle and antisocial (measured by SRP-4). In Study 1 (402 community participants), the proxy measures of these traits were generated using the HEXACO-PI-R items. It showed that all the psychopathy traits except antisocial tendencies are adequately explained by HEXACO traits: all of the R²s were >.50. Proxy measures had satisfactory reliabilities (all Alphas >.70) and adequate correlations with the original psychopathy scales. In Study 2 (345 undergraduate students) and Study 3 (245 male convicts), the discriminative and external validity of the proxy measures is further demonstrated. The results of the present research showed that HEXACO-PI-R can be used to explore interpersonal, affective and lifestyle features of psychopathy, which can facilitate further research. However, the usage of the inventories which measure psychopathy directly is still preferable when possible.