Proposed Specifiers for Conduct Disorder (PSCD): Preliminary validation of the parent version in a Spanish sample of preschoolers

Abstract

The Proposed Specifiers for Conduct Disorder scale (PSCD; Salekin & Hare, 2016) was developed as a measure of the broader construct of psychopathy in childhood and adolescence. In addition to Conduct Disorder symptoms (CD), the PSCD addresses the interpersonal (Grandiose-Manipulative; GM), affective (Callous-Unemotional; CU), and lifestyle (Daring-Impulsive; DI) traits of psychopathic personality. The PSCD can be scored by parents/caregivers and/or teachers. The present study is a preliminary test of the psychometric properties of the PSCD-Parent Version in a sample of 2,229 children aged three-to-six. Confirmatory Factor Analyses supported both a three- and a four-factor structure, being invariant across gender groups. The validity of the PSCD was also supported by convergent-divergent associations with an alternative measure of psychopathic traits as well as by the expected relations with fearlessness, conduct problems, reactive and proactive aggression, ADHD and ODD symptoms, and social competence skills. Overall, the PSCD is a promising alternative measure for assessing early manifestation of the broader construct of psychopathy in children. Its use should facilitate discussion of the conceptualization, assessment, predictive value, and clinical usefulness of the psychopathic construct as it relates to conduct disorder (CD) at early developmental stages.