Assessing Empathy in Prisoners - A Shortened Version of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index

Abstract

Davis’ Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) was used to assess empathy in a sample of 839 male prisoners aged 15-28. Because recent studies have questioned the usability of the IRI with offenders, psychometric properties of the instrument were analyzed while taking intelligence and verbal skills into consideration as potential influencing factors. Results showed that offenders with a lower IQ and lower verbal skills had difficulties with negatively worded items. After negatively worded items had been eliminated, the component structure of the IRI was replicated. Reliabilities of the shortened version were sufficient and differential validity was found. The fantasy, perspective taking, and empathic concern subscales differentiated between violent and nonviolent offenders. Furthermore, in a logistic regression, the perspective taking subscale contributed significantly to the prediction of future violent offending within 24 months after release.