Gender differences in a prototypical analysis of psychopathy.

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN A PROTOTYPICAL ANALYSIS OF PSYCHOPATHY Lisa L. Hazelwood, B.A.

Thesis Prepared for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS August 2006

APPROVED: Richard Rogers, Major Professor Randall J. Cox, Committee Member Kenneth W. Sewell, Committee Member

and Director of Clinical Training Linda L. Marshall, Chair of the Department

of Psychology Sandra L. Terrell, Dean of the Robert B.

Toulouse School of Graduate Studies

Hazelwood, Lisa L., Gender differences in a prototypical analysis of psychopathy. Master of Science (Psychology), August 2006, 107 pp., 24 tables, references, 73 titles.

Psychopathy research has focused primarily on characteristics of male offenders. With little empirical knowledge on psychopathy in women, gender differences within psychopathy are not well understood. To gain a better understanding of these differences, the current study used prototypical analysis to compare ratings of 242 forensic experts when considering their most representative case of male or female psychopathy. The present study investigated gender differences for psychopathic traits and Cluster B personality disorder criteria. Most aspects of psychopathy were less prototypical of female psychopaths than males. In particular, the antisocial behavior facet does not appear to apply to males and females equally. The distinction between Cluster B disorders and psychopathy was more ambiguous in females than males; however, the affective deficits facet differentiated psychopathy from Cluster B disorders across genders. Current research also raises the question of potential diagnostic gender bias in the assessment of psychopathy.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Page

LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................v Chapter

1. INTRODUCTION...................................................................................1 Relationship between Psychopathy and Axis II Personality Disorders Gender Differences in Psychopathy Prevalence Severity Behavioral Expression Factor Structure Prototypical Analysis Present Study Hypotheses and Research Questions Supplementary Research Questions

2. METHOD...........................................................................................32 Design Participants Instruments Survey Items PCL-RTM (MHS, Inc., ) DSM-IV?-TR (American Psychiatric Association, Washington, DC, ) Cluster B Criteria Procedure Informed Consent Recruitment Process

ii

3. RESULTS..........................................................................................38

Descriptive Data Research Questions

Research Question 1 Research Question 2 Research Question 3 Research Question 4 Research Question 5 Research Question 6 Supplementary Research Questions Supplementary Research Question 1 Supplementary Research Question 2 Supplementary Research Question 3 Supplementary Research Question 4

4. DISCUSSION......................................................................................67

Psychopathy as a Distinct Construct Differences between Psychopathy and Cluster B Disorders Latent Model of PCL-R Facets and Cluster B Disorders

Is Psychopathy a Viable Construct for Females? Does Psychopathy Exist in Female Populations? Is the Expression of Psychopathy Similar Across Gender? Gender Differences in the Factor Structure of Psychopathy Assessment of Psychopathy in Females

True Differences versus Gender Bias Biased Application of the Diagnostic Criteria Biased Instruments of Assessment and Biased Diagnostic Criteria

The Antisocial Facet of the PCL-R Ethnic Differences in Psychopathy Clinical Implications Limitations of the Study

iii

Future Directions Concluding Remarks APPENDIX A................................................................................................95 APPENDIX B................................................................................................97 REFERENCES...........................................................................................100

iv

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