NORMATIVE DATA FOR THE PSYCHOPATHY CHECKLIST-REVISED IN GERMAN-SPEAKING COUNTRIES A Meta-Analysis

The Psychopathy Checklist–Revised (PCL-R) is the standard assessment method for psychopathic personality traits of offenders. PCL-R norms for German-speaking countries have not yet been published. This study reviews the extant literature on the PCL-R and its screening version in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Based on 25 published empirical studies (total N = 4,254) overall means and standard deviations were estimated using meta-analytic methods. Assuming normality, estimates of norms (percentiles and T-scores) were derived for male offenders with respect to the standard assessment protocol (PCL-R interview plus file review), purely file-based assessments, and the screening version of the instrument. Compared with the North American normative data, estimated sample means were significantly lower for PCL-R standard assessments and for the screening instrument. The present findings may serve as provisional estimates for gauging the level of psychopathic traits of male offenders in Austria, Germany, and ...