Antisocial Process Screening Device — Self-Report

Developed by Caputo and colleagues in 1999, the APSD-SR is a self-report tool derived from the Psychopathy Checklist—Revised (PCL-R). Its 20 items assess psychopathic traits in adolescents aged 13–18, including limited empathy, callousness, impulsivity, and deceit. Its manageable length and straightforward administration make it widely used in youth behavior research, conduct-disorder screening, and forensic psychological assessment.

No. Psychopathy describes personality traits such as limited empathy, emotional coldness, self-centeredness, impulsivity, and deceit. Psychosis involves a different kind of difficulty, such as hallucinations or delusions. People with psychopathic traits usually remain aware of reality. They often have typical or high intelligence and understand social rules but choose not to follow them. These traits are closely associated with conduct problems, aggression, and antisocial behavior, but the trait description itself is not a mental illness diagnosis.

The APSD-SR uses three ratings, from 1 = not at all true to 3 = very true, for a total of 20–60. General bands are 20–30 within the usual range, 31–40 mild traits, 41–50 moderate traits, and 51–60 severe traits. Because its factor structure varies between samples, use the total rather than dimension scores. Adolescent personality is still developing and can change; early identification and support can improve these traits.

The APSD-SR is designed for ages 13–18. Self-report becomes more credible and useful as children grow older, making it particularly suited to adolescence. Uses include school screening, assessment of conduct problems or aggression, youth forensic assessment, baseline assessment before counseling or therapy, and tracking intervention outcomes. For children under 13, use parent- or teacher-report versions instead.

Yes. Adolescent personality is still developing and has considerable scope for change, which makes early identification and support important. Approaches include CBT to identify and change unhelpful thinking; emotional development work to build empathy and recognize emotions; social skills training for genuine, reciprocal relationships; family therapy to improve the home environment and parenting; and moral development education to build responsibility, a capacity for remorse, and ethical awareness. Research suggests early intervention can substantially reduce these traits and prevent more serious antisocial behavior.

Professional assessment and support are strongly recommended for moderate scores (41–50) or severe scores (51–60). Pay particular attention to stealing, destruction, aggression, little guilt or remorse, frequent deceit or manipulation, limited empathy and callousness, and impulsive or irresponsible actions without regard for consequences. Even a mild score warrants discussion with a school counselor or mental health specialist if the traits cause clear distress to the young person or others. This is a screening tool, not a diagnosis. Diagnosis requires a qualified psychiatrist or psychotherapist.