Which assessment tool is used to measure psychopathy as described?

• A. MMPI-2
• B. WAIS
• C. Hare PCL-R
• D. SCL-90-R

Answer: (C)

Measuring psychopathy relies on a tool tailored to the construct. The Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised is the standard instrument designed specifically to assess psychopathic traits. It uses a semi-structured interview plus collateral information to rate 20 items on a 0 to 2 scale, producing a total score from 0 to 40. The checklist covers two broad areas: interpersonal/affective traits (like superficial charm, lack of remorse, manipulativeness) and lifestyle/antisocial traits (such as impulsivity and antisocial behavior). This focused design lets clinicians quantify how strongly someone exhibits psychopathic characteristics and supports comparisons across individuals and groups, with substantial evidence for reliability and validity in forensic settings.

Other tools listed measure different constructs. The MMPI-2 is a broad personality and psychopathology inventory, not a focused measure of psychopathy. The WAIS assesses intelligence, not personality traits. The SCL-90-R evaluates symptom distress across several domains, again not specifically about psychopathy.