Practical Considerations for the Use of the PCL-R on Sex Offenders for Risk Assessment.
详细信息
文摘
The purpose of this study was to look at the possible influence of psychologists' perceptions and level of training on the use of the Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R) in terms of application on the sex offender population. Two hypotheses were developed and tested for: (a) any correlations between the application of the PCL-R and the type of crime committed, and (b) to see if the level of training influenced the rate at which the PCL-R was used for risk assessment of sex offenders. An online survey was created to target the population of licensed psychologists who were both members of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers, and worked with sex offenders. The survey consisted of questions related to their work experience, level of training on the use of the PCL-R, perceptions of the test's efficacy, and their own level of comfort regarding its administration, scoring, and interpretation. Chi-Square and ANOVA analyses were completed to process the data. The results indicated no significant correlations between any of the variables； however, post-test analyses and qualitative data indicated some inconsistencies between the statistical results and the hypotheses, providing additional support for the already existing literature in regards to the applicability of the PCL-R on the sex offender population.