Construction and validation of Multifaceted Inventory for the Self-Report of Psychopathy (MISP)

Abstract

The aim of this study was to construct, evaluate psychometrically and validate the Multifaceted Inventory for the Self-Report of Psychopathy (MISP). The pilot version consisted of 100 items arranged in 10 indicators related to affective, behavioral and interpersonal deficits. After dropping items that didn't have satisfactory psychometric characteristics in the pilot study, 50 items were left. The validation study was conducted on 232 high school students (51,7 % females), age 18 to 19. After dropping more items, final version of the instrument consists of 40 items. The construct validity was examined through factor analysis. 6 factors were extracted and all of these factors have good metric characteristics. Factors were named: manipulation, grandiosity, superficial relationships, violence, disinhibition and insensibility. Also, construct validity is shown by correlations with inventory for psychopathy self-report SRP-III. Convergent validity is confirmed by association with macchiavelism test MACH-IV and personality test HEXACO. MISP also has diagnostic validity, because men on all factors other than Disinhibition have higher scores than women. The Multifaceted Inventory for the Self-Report of Psychopathy (MISP) meets the criteria of a valid test that could be used as an instrument for assessing psychopathic traits in the Serbian speaking area, with the necessary validation on the sample of adults from the general population and correctional institutions.

Keywords

• psychopathy
• MISP
• test construction
• test validation