Psychopathic State Inventory (PSI): development of a short test for measuring psychopathic states

Six rational psychopathic state scales for Impulsivity, Egocentricity, Needs, Hypophoria (negative feeling states), Sociopathy, and High (search for "highs") were revised by selecting items within a rational category which most highly differentiated psychopaths as exemplified by opiate addicts (N = 28) and alcoholics (N = 53) from normals (N = 54) and which also most highly correlated with the parent rational scale or correlated most highly with the differentiating items. These procedures were effective in deriving scales which more highly differentiated alcoholics and addicts from normals and which were more reliable in each criterion group. It is thought that the scales will be useful in the study of the prevalence of or changes in psychopathic states.