Important Disclaimer
This is a self-report adaptation of a clinician-administered tool. It is for educational purposes only and cannot provide a clinical diagnosis. Psychopathy assessment requires comprehensive professional evaluation.
What This Assessment Measures
- Interpersonal traits
- Affective traits
- Lifestyle behaviors
- Antisocial behaviors
22
Questions
5
Minutes
100%
Confidential
About the PCL-22
The Hare Psychopathy Checklist (PCL) is a psychological assessment tool originally developed in the 1970s by Canadian psychologist Robert Hare. It consists of a 22-item checklist of personality traits and observed behaviors associated with psychopathy.
The original PCL was designed to be completed on the basis of a semi-structured interview along with a review of ancillary information. It has since been revised to the PCL-R (Psychopathy Checklist – Revised), in which 2 items were removed after statistical analysis showed them to be less discriminating.
This self-report adaptation allows individuals to reflect on the presence or absence of these traits in themselves. However, psychopathy assessment is a complex clinical process — self-report measures have inherent limitations, as individuals high in psychopathic traits may underreport or lack insight into their own behaviors. Professional evaluation is always recommended for clinical purposes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the PCL-22?+
The PCL-22 is the original Hare Psychopathy Checklist, a 22-item assessment of personality traits and behaviors associated with psychopathy. It was developed by Robert Hare in the 1970s and later revised to the 20-item PCL-R.
Is this test accurate for self-assessment?+
Self-report psychopathy measures have inherent limitations. Individuals with psychopathic traits may underreport symptoms or lack insight into their behaviors. The original PCL was designed for clinician administration with supplementary information. This self-report version is for educational purposes only.
What score indicates psychopathy?+
In the clinical PCL-R (revised version), a score of 30+ out of 40 is the traditional cutoff for psychopathy. This self-report adaptation uses different scoring and should not be used for diagnostic purposes.
Are my responses stored?+
No. All responses remain completely private and local to your browser. No data is collected, stored, or transmitted to any server.
References
- Hare RD. A research scale for the assessment of psychopathy in criminal populations. Pers Indiv Diff. 1980;1(2):111-119.
- Hare RD. The Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised. 2nd ed. Multi-Health Systems; 2003.
- Neumann CS, Hare RD. Psychopathic traits in a large community sample: Links to violence, alcohol use, and intelligence. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2008;76(5):893-899.
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