Validation of the Psychopathic Processing and Personality Assessment in the Czech Republic

Objective This study aims to validate the Czech-language Psychopathic Processing and Personality Assessment (PAPA) by examining its factor structure and psychometric properties in a non-forensic community sample in the Czech Republic. Methods The study included 1013 adult participants (51.73% male, 48.27% female) with an average age of 42.14 years (SD = 8), drawn from the general population of Czech parents with at least one child. Participants completed the PAPA, a 29-item self-report questionnaire. The sample was divided into two groups for exploratory (n=304) and confirmatory factor analysis (n=709). Data were analysed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to identify and validate the factor structure. Results The exploratory analysis suggested a three-factor solution comprising hostile attitudes, manipulativeness, and callous-unemotional traits, which was confirmed through CFA. The model demonstrated acceptable fit indices (CFI, RMSEA, SRMR), indicating a robust structure for both male and female participants. Internal consistency for the factors ranged from acceptable to good. Conclusions The validation of PAPA in Czech revealed a three-factor structure consistent with core psychopathy traits. This tool provides a reliable measure for assessing psychopathy in the Czech general population, highlighting cultural and sex-specific nuances in psychopathy assessment. Future research should explore the inclusion of the boldness dimension and validate the tool in forensic settings.