by Leslie C. Morey, Ph.D.

This widely used self-report inventory assesses psychopathological syndromes in adults, providing information relevant to diagnosis and treatment planning. It is composed of 344 items on 22 nonoverlapping scales:

    For more detailed interpretation, 10 PAI scales contain conceptually derived subscales.

    Designed for individuals 18 years of age and older, the PAI can usually be completed in less than an hour. (Items are written at a fourth-grade reading level.) You can score full scales and subscales in about 15 minutes, then quickly determine T-scores and plot results on the convenient PAI Profile Form. A Critical Items Form alerts you to the presence of behavior or psychopathology that may demand immediate attention. This Form provides space to record any comments your client may have about the critical items he or she endorsed.

    Standardized on a nationally representative sample of 1,000 adults, the PAI also provides data for clinical groups, older adults, college students, and African-Americans.

    Because it gives you a wealth of clinically relevant information in an easy-to-interpret format, the PAI is an excellent choice for the assessment of adult psychopathology.