Comparing the Eysenck and HEXACO Models of Personality in the Prediction of Adult Delinquency

Drawing from self and peer reports of personality, the present study compares the structures of the HEXACO and Eysenck models of personality and the models' capacity to predict self reported acts of delinquency. Correlations amongst scales revealed that Psychoticism captures elements of both HEXACO Emotionality and Conscientiousness. The Eysenck Lie scale correlated positively with both self and peer reported HEXACO Honesty–Humility and Conscientiousness, suggesting that this validity scale includes substantive variance relating to the latter factors. Regression analyses of personality data from both rater sources revealed that Honesty–Humility and Psychoticism were strong predictors of delinquency that independently offered substantial incremental validity. For self reports, the Extraversion and Lie scales were also strong unique predictors of delinquency. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.