Psychopathy testing bias in sexual orientation minorities.

Abstract

Measures of psychopathic personality traits have been utilized in a variety of settings and are often weighed heavily in decision-making. Though there is evidence of testing bias in marginalized groups, no evaluation of potential bias has been conducted for bias among sexual orientation minorities. This study utilized a slope-intercept bias approach to evaluate the testing bias of three self-report psychopathy measures: the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure, the Comprehensive Assessment of Psychopathic Personality-Self-Report, and the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale. Broadly, the current findings suggest psychopathy measures predominantly overpredict personality psychopathology and related impairment in sexual minorities, especially detachment, and disinhibition. Reassuringly, although some measures and scales had significantly overpredicted antisocial behaviors, none of these differences reached a threshold of clinically meaningful implications. Nonetheless, the risk of both testing and clinician bias should continue to be assessed in sexual minority persons and other diverse groups to ensure equitable evaluations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).