The PCL-R 20-item checklist is a tool used for the assessment of psychopathy. It consists of 20 items, each of which is rated on a three-point scale (0, 1, or 2) based on the presence or absence of certain personality traits or behaviors associated with psychopathy.
The 20 items of the PCL-R are:
- glibness/superficial charm
- grandiose sense of self-worth
- need for stimulation/proneness to boredom
- pathological lying
- cunning/manipulative
- lack of remorse or guilt
- shallow affect
- callous/lack of empathy
- parasitic lifestyle
- poor behavioral controls
- sexual promiscuity
- early behavior problems
- lack of realistic long-term goals
- impulsivity
- irresponsibility
- failure to accept responsibility for own actions
- many short-term marital relationships
- juvenile delinquency
- revocation of conditional release
- criminal versatility
Each item is rated based on the degree to which the person being assessed exhibits the behavior or trait in question. A score of 0 indicates that the behavior or trait is not present, a score of 1 indicates that it is somewhat present, and a score of 2 indicates that it is clearly present. A total score of 30 or above is generally considered indicative of psychopathy. However, it’s important to note that only trained professionals should use this tool for assessment purposes.
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