Scale Overview
The Psychopathic Personality Inventory – Revised Short Version (PPI-SV) was developed by Jessica Marie Forshee (2006). It is designed to measure Psychopathic personality traits. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 47 items organized into 8 factors/subscales: Machiavellian Egocentricity, Social Influence, Coldheartedness, Carefree Nonplanfulness, Fearlessness, Blame Externalization, Rebellious Nonconformity, Stress Immunity.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Machiavellian Egocentricity |
9,15,28,31,33,34,41 |
7 |
| Social Influence |
10,17,23,26,36 |
5 |
| Coldheartedness |
5,6,7,12,19,21,22 |
7 |
| Carefree Nonplanfulness |
13,16,42,46 |
4 |
| Fearlessness |
4,8,11,18,24,25,35,40,43,45,47 |
11 |
| Blame Externalization |
30,37,38,39 |
4 |
| Rebellious Nonconformity |
1,2,3,20,27,29,32,44 |
8 |
| Stress Immunity |
14 |
1 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = False, 2 = Mostly False, 3 = Mostly True, 4 = True.
The scale includes 11 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 47 to 188. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low psychopathic traits: 47 – 94
- Moderate psychopathic traits: 95 – 141
- High psychopathic traits: 142 – 188
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Varies by subscale (typically 0.70 – 0.85).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.