Measurement of psychopathy as a state.

It was hypothesized that psychopathic states could be measured by systematically changing items in psychopathy scales so as to suggest current feelings, thoughts, motives, and actions. The scales chosen for revision were the Psychopathic Deviate, Mania, and Antisocial scales of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI); Responsibility and Socialization scales of the California Psychological Inventory (CPI); and Psychopathy scale from the Addiction Research Center Inventory (ARCI). Male alcoholics (N = 53) and opiate addicts (N = 28) exemplifying psychopaths were compared with normals (N = 54) on each of the above scales. Alcoholics and opiate addicts were significantly higher on the total of the psychopathic scales and each of the above state scales except for Mania. Reliability was significant on all scales except the Antisocial scale. Also, 58% of 560 items differentiated these groups from normals.