Investigating error-related processing in incarcerated adolescents with self-report psychopathy measures

•Evidence suggests interview-based and self-report measures of psychopathic traits should not be used interchangeably.•In a previous report, we found PCL:YV scores were negatively related to error-related positivity (Pe) amplitude.•In the current report, scores on self-report adolescent psychopathy measures were not associated with reduced Pe amplitude.•Results obtained in the current report support evidence that different assessment types should not be used synonymously. Disparate results have been found in previous reports when incorporating both interview-based and self-report measures of psychopathic traits within the same sample, suggesting such assessments should not be used interchangeably. We previously found Total and Facet 4 scores from Hare’s Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version (PCL:YV) were negatively related to amplitude of the error-related positivity (Pe) event-related potential (ERP) component. Here, we investigated using the same previously published sample whether scores on four different self-report measures of adolescent psychopathic traits (the Antisocial Process Screening Device [APSD], Child Psychopathy Scale [CPS], Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits [ICU], and Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory [YPI]) were similarly associated with reduced Pe amplitude. Unlike our previous results, adolescent self-report psychopathy scores were not associated with reduced Pe amplitude in multiple regression analyses. Results obtained in the current report support previous research observing incongruent findings when incorporating different assessment types within the same sample.