Each of the twenty items is given a score of 0, 1, or 2 based on how well it applies to the subject being tested.īecause an individual’s score can have important consequences for his or her future, Hare argues that the test should only be considered valid if administered by a suitably qualified and experienced clinician under scientifically controlled and licensed, standardized conditions. A 20-item symptom rating scale that allows qualified examiners to compare a subject’s degree of psychopathy with that of a prototypical psychopath. The Hare PCL-R contains two parts, a semi-structured interview and a review of the subject’s file records and history. A modified youth version is also available for ages 12 – 18. It is accepted by many in the field as the best method for determining the presence and extent of psychopathy in a person. The results of the examination have been used as a factor in deciding the length and type of prison sentences and the treatment subjects should or should not receive.
Robert Hare, a Canadian professor and researcher renowned in criminal psychology, who has spent three decades studying the concept known as the psychopath and based partly on Hare’s work with prison inmates in Vancouver.īecause psychopaths are often repeat offenders who commit sexual assaults or other violent crimes again and again, the PCL-R is used in the courtroom and in institutions as an indicator of the potential risk posed by individuals in psychiatric units or prisoners. “The Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) is a diagnostic tool used to rate a person’s psychopathic or antisocial tendencies. Privileged Killers: A Criminologist Loses Faith in Lady Justice.
In addition to that, they determine their significance and the possibility of committing violent acts (or of committing them again if they already did so). The results obtained will define if there are psychopathic tendencies in the individual or not. Inability to accept responsibility for own actions.Īccording to interviews and the analysis of several reports, researchers have come to the conclusion that completing this test takes about an hour and a half.Need for stimulation / Tendency to boredom.Egocentrism / Great feeling of self-worth.Let’s see the dimensions assessed in the psychopathy checklist: There are 20 items (questions) where the evaluator can compare the individual’s profile with that of a prototypical psychopath. First of all, it was very simple and easy to administer. Now, it didn’t take long for it to become successful due to two things.
When creating this instrument, he attempted to design a resource capable of offering valuable information about those convicted of committing violent acts. His works in the area of psychopathology and psychophysiology are outstanding. As of now, he still stands as a reference in the field of criminal studies. Its creator, Robert Hare, is a doctor of psychology and professor. This is perhaps one of the most interesting clinical resources due to the person who designed it.
This is a reliable and valid test capable of providing interesting information about affective and interpersonal aspects and behavior problems, among other things. Above all, researchers use it within prison inmates, but it’s also useful in the clinical and forensic field. The psychopathy checklist or PCL-R is an international reference instrument to identify the presence of psychopathy in an individual.