Assessing psychopathic traits with the MMPI-3: Findings from correctional, university, and community samples.

OBJECTIVE: The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) instruments have a long history with respect to the assessment of psychopathic personality traits. The most recent version, the MMPI-3, should be in a good position to continue this tradition, and the aim of the current research was to evaluate its scales for this purpose. We examined, on the basis of previous research, how well conceptually relevant MMPI-3 scales mapped onto dominant contemporary psychopathy models: the traditional three-factor model and triarchic psychopathy model. HYPOTHESES: We hypothesized that MMPI-3 markers of internalizing would be negatively correlated with boldness, whereas broad and specific markers of externalizing proclivities would be associated with disinhibition and antisociality. We also hypothesized that egocentricity and callousness would be associated with MMPI-3 scales measuring various features of externalizing, interpersonal aggression/antagonism, and grandiosity. METHOD: We used archival samples of male prison inmates (n = 452), community members with externalizing proclivities (n = 205), and university students (n = 645). These participants completed the Expanded Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale and the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure. RESULTS: Zero-order correlation analyses indicated support for many of our hypotheses across samples, with notable exceptions. Regression and dominance analyses yielded information about the most potent MMPI-3 predictors of each psychopathy domain, with consistency across the three samples. Boldness was associated with low scores on Emotional/Internalizing Dysfunction, Low Positive Emotions, Shyness, and Negative Emotionality/Neuroticism and high scores on Self-Importance and Dominance. For meanness and disinhibition, we found substantial overlap with MMPI-3 scales (e.g., Behavioral/Externalizing Dysfunction, Antisocial Behavior). Meanness was indicated by high Aggression, Cynicism, Aggressiveness, and Disaffiliativeness; disinhibition/antisociality was primarily marked by high Antisocial Behavior, Hypomanic Activation, Impulsivity, and Disconstraint; and Anger Proneness, Aggression, and Cynicism were secondary indicators. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide support for using the MMPI-3 in clinical assessments to corroborate other sources of information regarding psychopathy as well as generate hypotheses for further consideration. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Examining the reliability and validity of the ICD-11 personality disorder severity diagnosis.

OBJECTIVES: The International Classification of Diseases, 11th edition includes a new personality disorder diagnosis, in light of growing concerns of the categorical personality disorder diagnoses. The purpose of the current study was to examine the reliability and validity of the severity dimension of the new International Classification of Diseases, 11th edition diagnosis, through multi-method assessment. METHOD: In a community mental health sample (n = 311), we examined the interrater reliability of the severity diagnosis and evaluated the diagnosis against self-report measures of dimensional personality pathology and psychopathology constructs and traditional categorical and informant-report measures. RESULTS: Intraclass correlations indicated 'excellent' reliability of the diagnostic ratings. Large associations were observed between the International Classification of Diseases, 11th edition clinician diagnosis and overall impairment measures. Generally, the International Classification of Diseases, 11th edition clinician diagnosis exhibited largest associations with measures of internalising dysfunction, and more variable associations with interpersonal and externalising impairment. The International Classification of Diseases, 11th edition clinician diagnosis showed a large association with borderline personality disorder symptom scores and moderate associations with Paranoid, Schizoid and Avoidant personality disorder scores. Similar patterns emerged of the associations between the International Classification of Diseases, 11th edition personality disorder diagnosis with self-report and informant-report measures, although the associations were larger with self-report measures. CONCLUSION: These findings provide promising initial evidence for the reliability and validity of the new International Classification of Diseases, 11th edition personality disorder diagnosis, indicating that the new conceptualisation of personality disorders may address issues within the categorical model.

Construct validation of Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-3 (MMPI-3) scales relevant to the assessment of bipolar spectrum disorders.

BACKGROUND: The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-3 (MMPI-3) is a commonly used psychological test that includes several scales relevant to measuring manic and depressive symptoms of bipolar spectrum disorders. AIMS: The goal of the present study was to evaluate the construct validity of MMPI-3 scale scores with respect to self-report measures of bipolar psychopathology. MATERIALS & METHODS: Using a sample of 644 university students in New Zealand, we calculated correlations between scores on the MMPI-3 and the Hypomanic Personality Scale-Short Form (HPS-SF) total and factor scores and the Altman Self-Report Mania Scale (ASRM) total and item scores. RESULTS: For associations against the HPS-SF, almost all of the hypotheses were supported, whereas for the ASRM scale, several were not. We also estimated a series of regression models predicting HPS-SF and ASRM scores from meaningfully associated MMPI-3 scores. Hypomanic Activation (RC9), Activation (ACT), and Self-Importance (SFI) scores emerged as the most consistent and substantial predictors of criteria, with SFI scores being more specifically associated with total scores and criteria related to Social Vitality. Several internalizing and thought dysfunction MMPI-3 scales were also meaningfully associated with scores on the HPS-SF and ASRM. DISCUSSION & CONCLUSION: Implications and limitations, such as the use of a university student convenience sample, are discussed.

Assessing posttraumatic stress disorder symptom clusters with the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-3 in a forensic disability sample.

OBJECTIVE: Previous evidence indicates that scales from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) family of instruments can measure self-reported posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomology and differentiate symptom clusters, including in forensic disability assessments. However, limited research has examined assessment of PTSD symptoms with the MMPI-3, the most recent MMPI instrument. The goal of the current study was to identify the strongest MMPI-3 scale predictors of individual PTSD symptom clusters, measured via self-report. METHODS: Using a sample of 716 disability claimants (54.2% men; Mage = 42.98, SD = 10.87; 81.8% White), correlation, regression, and dominance analyses were performed to examine associations between scores on MMPI-3 scales and latent PTSD symptom cluster factors derived using confirmatory factor analyses from items of the Detailed Assessment of Posttraumatic Stress (DAPS), and to identify the strongest predictor of each symptom cluster when MMPI-3 scales were concurrently considered. RESULTS: Results indicate that conceptually expected MMPI-3 scale scores were meaningfully associated with PTSD symptom cluster factors, with the MMPI-3 Anxiety-Related Experiences (ARX) scale demonstrating the strongest and most consistent associations across symptom clusters. CONCLUSIONS: Results of the current study largely converge with previous empirical studies of self-reported PTSD symptoms in disability claimant settings with the MMPI instruments. Interpretive implications for the MMPI-3, limitations, and future research directions are discussed.

The Somatoform Spectrum Within the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology System: A Taxometric Test of the Latent Structure.

OBJECTIVE: The general understanding of disorders related to chronic somatic symptoms (e.g., somatic symptom disorder, functional somatic syndromes) is limited because of current categorical conceptualizations in traditional taxonomies. To improve clinical utility and validity, the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology offers an empirically grounded dimensional approach. Therefore, the distribution of persistent somatic symptom distress observed in nature is highly relevant for informing decisions related to classification and treatment. This study analyzes the underlying structure of symptoms associated with the somatoform spectrum. METHOD: Taxometric analyses were used to examine the latent status of the somatoform spectrum, which was measured via a dimensional questionnaire devised as part of the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology scale development effort. We generated Comparison Curve Fit Index (CCFI) profile analyses across a clinical sample of psychotherapy outpatients ( n = 487), a community sample of German adults ( n = 451), and a student sample from New Zealand ( n = 549). RESULTS: In the clinical sample (CCFI mean = 0.38) and in the student sample (CCFI mean = 0.36), a dimensional solution was clearly favored. Results in the community sample (CCFI mean = 0.51) were ambiguous. CONCLUSIONS: Across the three independent samples, qualitatively distinct subgroups within the distribution of chronic somatic symptoms could not be identified. Therefore, continuous representations seemed to best represent the structure of somatic symptoms. Implications of these findings for etiology and treatment are discussed.

The distinction between symptoms and traits in the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP).

The Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) is an empirically and quantitatively derived dimensional classification system designed to describe the features of psychopathology and, ultimately, to replace categorical nosologies. Among the constructs that HiTOP organizes are "symptom components" and "maladaptive traits," but past HiTOP publications have not fully explicated the distinction between symptoms and traits. We propose working definitions of symptoms and traits and explore challenges, exceptions, and remaining questions. Specifically, we propose that the only systematic difference between symptoms and traits in HiTOP is one of time frame. Maladaptive traits are dispositional constructs that describe persistent tendencies to manifest features of psychopathology, whereas symptoms are features of psychopathology as they are manifest during any specific time period (from moments to days to months). This has the consequence that almost every HiTOP dimension, at any level of the hierarchy, can be assessed as either a trait or a symptom dimension, by adjusting the framing of the assessment. We discuss the implications of these definitions for causal models of the relations between symptoms and traits and for distinctions between psychopathology, normal personality variation, and dysfunction.

The Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-IV (MCMI-IV) and Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory-II (MACI-II) in Legal Settings.

The MCMI-IV and MACI-II are the most recent iterations of the primary Millon clinical inventories and have become well-established instruments over the course of multiple editions. The MCMI, in particular in its prior editions, and to a lesser extent, the original MACI, have joined the canon of commonly-used psychological instruments in several forensic settings, though they have been met with significant controversy. This controversy is due in large part to complicated and sometimes questionable psychometric and normative referencing qualities that evaluators may find difficult to defend in a court setting. On balance, the instruments, unlike many others, are also supported by a rich though often less-than-understood theoretical backbone which lends depth and explanatory power, but which also can further complicate addressing psycho-legal questions. The authors, representing a mixed perspective on the inventories, generally conclude that while the MCMI-IV and MACI-II rely on a rich theoretical framework, the peer-reviewed literature is virtually non-existent, the need to rely on their predecessor instruments' research literatures are limiting, and the modifying indices have questionable utility in the detecting of response bias. In addition, the normative data and underreporting response styles in family court evaluations cause problems for the MCMI-IV's use in such contexts.

Personality Assessment in Legal Contexts: Introduction to the Special Issue.

This special issue addresses a major gap in the literature by providing comprehensive, credible reviews of the psychometric evidence for and legal status of some of the most commonly-used psychological and personality assessment measures used in forensic evaluations. It responds to Neal and colleagues' (2019) call for research to improve the state of and access to knowledge about psychological assessments in legal contexts, and encourages critical thinking about forensic assessment in the spirit of improvement. These articles offer clarity about the strengths and weaknesses of a number of assessment instruments to inform psychologists' preparation for expert testimony, lawyers' preparation for direct and cross-examination, judges' evidence admissibility determinations, and scholars' future research. We assembled teams of authors with different perspectives and areas of expertise to review each tool fairly, including several adversarial collaborations. Articles on the Rorschach and R-PAS, MMPI-3, PCL-R, MCMI-IV and MACI-II, PAI and PAI-A, SIRS-2, HCR-20V3, TSI and TSI-2, and the MacCAT-CA, ECST-R, and CAST*MR are included. To increase visibility, accessibility, and impact, this issue is published as free access, meaning the articles are available to download without charge. We anticipate these articles will be widely read and useful to scholars and practitioners in both psychology and law.

Criterion and Incremental Validity of the MMPI-3 Eating Concerns Scale in a University Sample.

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the validity of scores on the Eating Concerns (EAT) scale on the recently released Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-3 (MMPI-3), which aims to assess for problematic eating behaviours. It was hypothesised that the EAT scale scores would be correlated with binge eating, purging, restrictive eating, weight and body shape concerns. Participants were 396 university students, who completed a series of well-validated eating disorder measures. The EAT scale scores evidenced moderate to large correlations with many symptom dimensions of EDs, including binge eating, purging, restrictive eating and weight and shape concern, thus, supporting the hypotheses and showing evidence for criterion validity. Hierarchical regression analyses also revealed incremental validity for the EAT scale above and beyond other MMPI-3 Specific Problems scale scores. Overall, scores on the new MMPI-3 EAT scale were associated with positive support for validity in a university population and seem promising as a good screening measure for eating pathology.

Dissociation and false memory: the moderating role of trauma and cognitive ability.

The term dissociation is often used to refer to a diverse range of psychological symptoms, including perceptual impairments, emotional detachment, and memory fragmentation. In the present study, we examined whether there was a relation between participants' self-reports of dissociative experiences and their memory performance in the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm-a laboratory-based procedure that is frequently used to investigate false memory. University students (N = 298) completed the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) and the Traumatic Life Events Questionnaire (TLEQ). Participants were also administered a standardised intelligence test (Shipley-2), and they were tested in the DRM paradigm. Overall, experiencing trauma and dissociation, as well as lower levels of cognitive ability, were associated with higher false memory. These findings are discussed in the context of the activation monitoring theory of DRM false memory.

Further Validation of the Elemental Psychopathy Assessment - Short Form (EPA-SF) in a Large University Sample.

The purpose of the current study was to provide further validation of the short form of the Elemental Psychopathy Assessment (EPA-SF), which was developed on the basis of a general personality model, the Five Factor Model (FFM) of personality. This study evaluated the internal structure of the EPA-SF trait scales, and examined the EPA-SF scales against two other psychopathy measures, the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM) and the Expanded Leveson Self-Report Psychopathy Scales (E-LSRP), as well as a general FFM measure, in a sample of 924 university students. Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling generally supported internal structure for EPA-SF scales, in that the 18 EPA-SF traits generally loaded onto their four respective domain scales: Antagonism, Emotional Stability, Inhibition and Narcissism. Tucker's congruence coefficients (.95-.99) indicated excellent replicability of the original structure. The EPA-SF total and domain scale scores also showed moderate to large correlations with TriPM, E-LSRP and FFM domain scales in a manner mostly consistent with conceptual expectations. Finally, EPA-SF trait scales were also mostly associated with their corresponding FFM trait scale counterparts. Overall, the EPA-SF scale scores showed evidence for good convergent and discriminant validity.

Assessing ICD-11 personality trait domain qualifiers with the MMPI-2-RF.

OBJECTIVE: The current study examined the utility of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) in assessing ICD-11 personality psychopathology trait domain qualifiers. METHOD: Using a community sample (N = 217) weighted for externalizing dysfunction, this study evaluated the convergence between ICD-11 trait domains as measured by the personality inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5) with hypothesized MMPI-2-RF scales. Particular emphasis was placed on evaluating the convergence between the ICD-11 trait domain qualifiers and the MMPI-2-RF personality psychopathology-5 (PSY-5) scales, as the latter are meant to represent broadband domains of personality pathology. RESULTS: Correlation and regression analyses demonstrated expected associations between ICD-11 domains and conceptually expected MMPI-2-RF scales, with some minor exceptions. Notably, the Anankastia domain showed associations with scales assessing negative affect, but did not show expected negative associations with scales related to disinhibition. CONCLUSIONS: The findings generally supported the use of the MMPI-2-RF in assessing individual expressions of personality dysfunction from the ICD-11 trait domain qualifier perspective.

Associations between MMPI-3 scale scores and the DSM-5 personality disorders.

OBJECTIVE: The current study examined associations between Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-3 (MMPI-3) scales and self-reported DSM-5 Section II personality disorder (PD) symptoms. A priori hypotheses were generated for which MMPI-3 scales would be most highly associated with each PD. METHODS: We used a large sample (n = 489) of university students, who completed the MMPI-3 and two established self-report measures of personality disorders. RESULTS: The results were generally consistent with theoretical expectations and previous research utilizing the MMPI-2-RF. Specifically, most hypothesized MMPI-3 scales exhibited meaningful associations with relevant PD variables, although there were some notable exceptions. The regression models revealed significant predictors for each PD which were generally consistent with expectations and previous research. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the MMPI-3 appears well situated to cover a range of DSM-5 Section II PD-related psychopathology, and three of the new MMPI-3 scales appear to have added utility for assessing personality pathology.

Les progrès dans la réalisation de la classification quantitative de la psychopathologie.

Shortcomings of approaches to classifying psychopathology based on expert consensus have given rise to contemporary efforts to classify psychopathology quantitatively. In this paper, we review progress in achieving a quantitative and empirical classification of psychopathology. A substantial empirical literature indicates that psychopathology is generally more dimensional than categorical. When the discreteness versus continuity of psychopathology is treated as a research question, as opposed to being decided as a matter of tradition, the evidence clearly supports the hypothesis of continuity. In addition, a related body of literature shows how psychopathology dimensions can be arranged in a hierarchy, ranging from very broad "spectrum level" dimensions, to specific and narrow clusters of symptoms. In this way, a quantitative approach solves the "problem of comorbidity" by explicitly modeling patterns of co-occurrence among signs and symptoms within a detailed and variegated hierarchy of dimensional concepts with direct clinical utility. Indeed, extensive evidence pertaining to the dimensional and hierarchical structure of psychopathology has led to the formation of the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) Consortium. This is a group of 70 investigators working together to study empirical classification of psychopathology. In this paper, we describe the aims and current foci of the HiTOP Consortium. These aims pertain to continued research on the empirical organization of psychopathology; the connection between personality and psychopathology; the utility of empirically based psychopathology constructs in both research and the clinic; and the development of novel and comprehensive models and corresponding assessment instruments for psychopathology constructs derived from an empirical approach.

International Assessment of DSM-5 and ICD-11 Personality Disorder Traits: Toward a Common Nosology in DSM-5.1.

INTRODUCTION: The DSM-5 Alternative Model of Personality Disorders (AMPD) and the ICD-11 classification of personality disorders (PD) are largely commensurate and, when combined, they delineate 6 trait domains: negative affectivity, detachment, antagonism/dissociality, disinhibition, anankastia, and psychoticism. OBJECTIVE: The present study evaluated the international validity of a brief 36-item patient-report measure that portrays all 6 domains simultaneously including 18 primary subfacets. METHODS: We developed and employed a modified version of the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 - Brief Form Plus (PID5BF+). A total of 16,327 individuals were included, 2,347 of whom were patients. The expected 6-factor structure of facets was initially investigated in samples from Denmark (n = 584), Germany (n = 1,271), and the USA (n = 605) and subsequently replicated in both patient- and community samples from Italy, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Poland, Czech Republic, the USA, and Brazil. Associations with interview-rated DSM-5 PD categories were also investigated. RESULTS: Findings generally supported the empirical soundness and international robustness of the 6 domains including meaningful associations with familiar interview-rated PD types. CONCLUSIONS: The modified PID5BF+ may be employed internationally by clinicians and researchers for brief and reliable assessment of the 6 combined DSM-5 and ICD-11 domains, including 18 primary subfacets. This 6-domain framework may inform a future nosology for DSM-5.1 that is more reasonably aligned with the authoritative ICD-11 codes than the current DSM-5 AMPD model. The 36-item modified PID5BF+ scoring key is provided in online supplementary Appendix A see www.karger.com/doi/10.1159/000507589 (for all online suppl. material).

The Utility of the MMPI-2-RF Validity Scales in Detecting Underreporting.

This study examined the validity of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF; Tellegen & Ben-Porath, 2011) Uncommon Virtues (L-r) and Adjustment Validity (K-r) scales in detecting underreporting. The study aimed to increment the previous literature in this field using a New Zealand population. We used a combined sample of 784 university students, with 173 participants completing the MMPI-2-RF with instruction to underreport in the context of applying for a job, and 611 completing the test under standard instructions. Results indicated that individuals who completed the MMPI-2-RF with underreporting instructions exhibited significantly lower scores on the majority of the MMPI-2-RF substantive scales, and significantly higher scores on the L-r and K-r validity scales. Additionally, L-r and K-r added incremental predictive utility over one another when differentiating the standard instruction and underreporting groups. Classification accuracy analyses provided additional evidence for the utility of the L-r and K-r scales by supporting their respective cut scores listed in the MMPI-2-RF manual (Ben-Porath & Tellegen, 2011). The findings of this study provide further evidence for the utility of the L-r and K-r scales in detecting underreporting extension to both a preemployment evaluation context and a novel population.

The MMPI-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF): Assessment of Personality and Psychopathology in the Twenty-First Century.

This article describes the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) and situates the instrument in contemporary psychopathology and personality literature. The historical evolution of the MMPI instruments is highlighted, including how failure to update the test for several decades resulted in increasing disinterest by basic researchers and how the restructuring efforts beginning in the 2000s promised to realign the instrument with basic research. In this regard, the construct validity associated with MMPI-2-RF scores in the context of contemporary dimensional models of psychopathology is considered. Research supporting the applied utility of the MMPI-2-RF scales in a variety of contexts-including mental health screenings, presurgical evaluations, forensic assessment, and public safety screening-is also reviewed. Critiques of the MMPI-2-RF are described and addressed. Finally, a series of recommendations for future updates of the MMPI-2-RF are described along with a path toward the MMPI-3.

Implications for the Measurement of Psychopathy in the DSM-5 Using the Computerized Adaptive Test of Personality Disorder.

This study investigated the ability of the Computerized Adaptive Test of Personality Disorder (CAT-PD) model to capture psychopathy in a sample consisting of U.S. (n = 565) and Australian (n = 99) undergraduates and a U.S. community sample (n = 210). More specifically, this study examined (a) the association between CAT-PD facets, particularly those consistent with DSM-5 Section III antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), and measures of psychopathy, (b) the extent to which CAT-PD ASPD traits improve on DSM-5 Section II ASPD in measuring psychopathy, and (c) the utility of measuring functional impairment in additional to dimensional traits in assessing psychopathy. Analyses revealed CAT-PD ASPD traits, including traits' associations with Section III psychopathy specifier, were strongly associated with measures of psychopathy. Furthermore, CAT-PD ASPD was found to be an improvement over DSM-5 Section II ASPD in measuring psychopathy, and the dimensional nature of the CAT-PD was found to render the addition of measures of impairment unnecessary. These findings generally support the utility of the CAT-PD in the measurement of psychopathy, particularly as it relates to the dimensional assessment of psychopathy in the DSM-5 alternative model for personality disorder.

Factor Structure and Construct Validity of the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (LSRP): A Replication and Extension in Dutch Nonclinical Participants.

The Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy (LSRP) scale is widely used to assess psychopathic traits in noninstitutionalized samples. Recent studies suggest that a three-factor structure measuring Egocentricity, Callousness, and Antisocial factors outperformed the original two-factor structure of the LSRP. This study replicated and extended these findings by examining the factor structure and construct validity of a Dutch version of the LSRP in a community sample (N = 856, subsamples ranging between 140 and 572 participants). Confirmatory factor analysis results corroborated the superiority of the three-factor model of the LSRP, using 19 of the 26 LSRP items. Limitations included the need to specify correlated residuals for some indicators, although these were largely in line with prior studies. Across three subsamples, we found evidence for construct validity of the LSRP subscales. Egocentricity and Antisocial showed a pattern of differential associations with external correlates in accordance with theoretical expectations. Callousness shared some correlates with Egocentricity, others with Antisocial, and uniquely predicted low morality and high physical aggression. Few exceptions to the hypothesized associations were observed, mostly concerning Callousness. Overall, the LSRP three-factor model received further support in a Dutch sample, and is thus recommended in future research, possibly adding items to improve the performance of the Callousness factor.

An Examination of Triarchic Psychopathy Constructs in Female Offenders.

This study sought to expand scientific knowledge on psychopathic personality traits in female offenders by evaluating the relationship between MMPI-2-RF triarchic scales and self-reported external variables in a sample of 205 female offenders. Results indicated that boldness was inversely related to internalizing dysfunction, including suicidal behavior, psychosis, youth conduct problems, problems stemming from alcohol use, and a history of outpatient mental health treatment. Meanness was positively related to internalizing dysfunction as well as youth conduct problems, anger, prison disciplinary reports, and psychosis. Disinhibition was associated with a history of abuse in childhood, suicidal behavior, internalizing dysfunction, problems associated with alcohol and drug use, family history of mental illness, prison disciplinary reports for violence, number of previous criminal charges, and anger. Consistent with views of psychopathy as a configural condition, interactive effects of boldness with disinhibition and meanness were observed for multiple key external variables (e.g., conduct problems, substance use, nonsuicidal self-injurious behavior). This study provides further evidence for the triarchic conceptualization of psychopathy in female offenders and lends additional support for the validity of MMPI-2-RF triarchic psychopathy scales.