In Spain, forensic and clinical professionals generally use the same internationally validated tools for assessing psychopathic traits as in other countries — there isn’t a completely different “Spanish-only” equivalent to Hare’s psychopathy assessments, but there are several related instruments and adaptations used in research and practice*:
🧠 1. PCL-R (Psychopathy Checklist–Revised)
- This is the gold-standard instrument used in Spain for forensic evaluation of psychopathy.
- It is the internationally recognised scale developed by Robert Hare, translated and standardised with Spanish adaptations and norms based on Spanish prison samples. Con Propósito+1
- It focuses on traits such as lack of empathy, superficial charm, manipulation, impulsivity, and antisocial behaviour. Wikipedia
👉 This is the tool most closely equivalent to the Hare psychopathy test used globally within Spanish forensic psychology.
🧩 2. PCL-SV (Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version)
- A shorter screening form derived from the PCL-R, useful when a quick assessment is needed or as a preliminary screening before administering the full PCL-R. RMA – Risk Management Authority
- It retains many core features of the full checklist but with fewer items and a shorter interview.
📌 3. Comprehensive Assessment of Psychopathic Personality (CAPP)
- The CAPP is an alternative to the PCL-R that emphasises personality traits rather than just criminal behaviour.
- Research including Spanish prison populations has compared PCL-R with CAPP and found both can be informative in assessing psychopathic traits, especially for broader personality profiling beyond just antisocial acts. PubMed
Unlike the PCL-R, the CAPP does not require criminal behaviour items, making it useful in contexts where psychopathic personality traits are assessed rather than forensic risk alone. PubMed
📝 4. Other Self-Report Scales (Research / Screening)
While not used as forensic diagnostic tools in Spain, some other instruments are sometimes used in research or broader psychological assessments:
- Self-Report Psychopathy Scales (e.g., SRP-4) — based on psychopathy constructs derived from PCL measures, used in research contexts. Giunti Psychometrics
- Dark Triad / Dark Personality Scales — assessments of traits like narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy (e.g., Dirty Dozen, Triarchic Psychopathy Measure) for non-forensic research samples. Wikipedia
These self-report inventories are screening or research tools, not substitutes for professional forensic instruments like the PCL-R.
📍 Important Notes on Assessment Tools
- Forensic psychopathy assessments (like the PCL-R) must be administered and interpreted by trained, qualified psychologists or forensic experts. They are not diagnostic tools for the general public — they require structured interviews plus collateral records and professional judgment. ADIPA Chile
- Psychopathy itself is not a DSM-5 clinical diagnosis but a construct studied in forensic and research contexts. Traits overlap with personality disorders such as Antisocial Personality Disorder, but assessment tools like the PCL-R or CAPP are the ones used to profile psychopathic personality features in forensic psychology. PubMed
📌 Summary:
In Spain, the primary equivalent to the Hare psychopathy test is the PCL-R, with adaptations and standardisation for the Spanish context. For screening or supplementary assessment, professionals may use the PCL-SV or alternative personality-oriented tools like CAPP, plus research-oriented self-report scales in academic contexts.
