Clinician or parent? Hand your device over with the score hidden, or send the test to their phone.
22 questions · about 5 minutes
For each one, pick the answer that fits you best. There are no right or wrong answers.
Your answers stay on this device. Nothing is saved or sent unless you choose to email the results. 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.
- Questions
- 22
- Time
- 5 min
- Looks back over
- No set period
- Score range
- 0–44
- Cost
- Free
What the PCL-22 measures
- Interpersonal traits
- Affective traits
- Lifestyle behaviors
- Antisocial behaviors
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.
How the PCL-22 is scored
- Every question is answered on the same scale, from "Definitely Absent" (0 points) to "Definitely Present" (2 points).
- The answers are added together for a total from 0 to 44.
- For example, answering "Definitely Absent" to all 22 questions gives 0 × 22 = 0, which falls in the Low Psychopathic Traits range.
PCL-22 score ranges
The ranges this quiz uses to label a score. They describe where a score falls, not a diagnosis.
| Result | Score |
|---|---|
| Low Psychopathic Traits | 0–10 |
| Some Psychopathic Traits | 11–20 |
| Moderate Psychopathic Traits | 21–30 |
| High Psychopathic Traits | 31–44 |
How to read the results
- It is a snapshot, not a diagnosis. A label only says where a score falls compared with the people the questionnaire was tested on. A word like "mild" does not mean a mild disorder.
- Look at the answers, not only the total. Which questions scored highest often says more about what to work on than the number does.
- Compare with yourself over time. Taking it again in a few weeks, or after starting therapy, shows whether things are moving. Compare each score with your own earlier one, not with someone else's.
- Talk it through. A clinician will ask what no questionnaire can: how long it has been like this, what else is going on, and how much it gets in the way.
The PCL-22 compared with similar tests
| Test | Screens for | Questions | Looks back over |
|---|---|---|---|
| Narcissism Test | Narcissistic personality traits | 16 | No set period |
| Sociopathic Traits | Psychopathic traits, self-reported | 26 | No set period |
| PCL-22 (this page) | Psychopathic traits, checklist | 22 | No set period |
| Myers-Briggs Style | Personality preferences (informal) | 20 | No set period |
Using the PCL-22 with clients
- Baseline, then repeat. Give it at intake, then at regular intervals, and compare each score with the client's own earlier ones to see whether treatment is working.
- Hand to client. Give it on your own device in session. The questions fill the screen with nothing else on it, and the scores stay hidden until you take the device back and press Show results.
- Send to someone. Send a link before the session by text or email. Tick "Ask for a copy of their results" and their results page offers to email you their score. They decide whether to send it. Your address travels in the link itself and never reaches our servers.
- Copy summary and Print. The results screen copies a one-line summary for the session note, or prints the results on their own.
- Nothing is stored. Answers stay in the browser. Results leave it only when someone chooses to email them, and that email is not kept.
Diagnosis codes often documented for this concern
For reference only. A screening score is not a diagnosis, and none of these follows from a score on its own.
Where to go from here
- Individual Counseling at Crown Counseling · in Brooklyn and online across New York
- Free resources for therapists
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.