Hare's Psychopathy Checklist (PCL)

 

This checklist assesses the presence of psychopathy in patients. There are 20 items on a 3 point scale, predicting the risk of criminal re-offence and probability of rehabilitation.

1a. 1b. and 2a.

1a and 1b are correlated with a narcissistic personality disorder, EXTRA VERSION and POSITIVE EFFECT. 

2a and 2b are correlated with an antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, associated with anger, criminality and impulsive violence, DELICT or felony.

0. Does not apply.

1. Partial Match

2. Reasonably Good Match

Ideally, this needs to be done face to face with case files and can take up to three hours to complete. Cut off for psychopathy in the U.K. is 25 and 30 in the U.S.

High PCL scores are associated with impulsivity and aggression, Machiavellianism, persistent criminal behaviour and negative towards empathy or affiliation. 

Early factor analysis:
Factor 1: (1a + 1b) Shallow affect, superficial charm, manipulativeness, lack of empathy.
Behaviours: Narcissistic personality disorder, low anxiety, low empathy, low-stress reaction, low suicide risk > high scores on achievement and social potency.

Factor 2: (2a + 2b)  Criminal versatility impulsiveness, irresponsibility, poor behaviour controls, juvenile delinquency.
Behaviours: Anti-social personality disorder, social deviance, sensation seeking, low socio-economic status and high risk of suicide. 

Currently, both factors have not co-existed in any female model samples.

In 2001 experts suggested that factor 1 could be split into arrogant and deceitful interpersonal style, deficient affective experience and impulsive, and irresponsible behavioural style. This has been critiqued by Hare himself, however, in 2003 he created a fourth factor.

This is generally used to assess individuals in high-security psychiatric units and prisons. It helps in deciding who should be detained and who should be released, or who should undergo what type of treatment.  Though there are some experts who retain that they are unsure in its help in predicting those who may re-offend.

Suicide strongly correlated to factor 2, and not to factor 1. Psychopaths are generally by definition immune to suicide. People who have ASPD, however, are more prone to suicide. It is sometimes used to assess re-offending with mixed results. PSYCHOPATHS DO NOT CARE ABOUT FUTURE DISCOMFORT for them or for others.