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US-based behavioural expert Scott Rouse discussed the Hare Checklist

READ MORE: Psychiatrist reveals the subtle sign someone may be a psychopath

By MARIA CHIORANDO, SENIOR REPORTER

Published: 11:50 BST, 26 September 2025 | Updated: 11:56 BST, 26 September 2025

Spencer Matthews is set to undergo one of TV’s most extreme psychological experiments – to find out if he really is a psychopath after family members suggested he showed ‘psychopathic traits.’

The Daily Mail exclusively revealed the 37-year-old will front a one-off Channel 4 documentary that puts his personality to the ultimate test, with the former Made In Chelsea star admitting that he ‘sometimes wonders’ whether he has the condition as he has a ‘lack of empathy for others’.

Spencer’s revelation could make people interested in finding out more about the condition: US-based behavioural expert Scott Rouse has revealed how people can take a test that is used to identify if someone is a psychopath, presenting a number of signs that are consistent with the condition – among them are traits that could be surprising or unexpected to some – like a lack of realistic long term plans.

The term ‘psychopath’ is no longer used as a diagnosis in the DSM-5, which is the psychological diagnostic manual used in the US. Neither is it a diagnosis in the ICD-11, which is used in the UK.

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), the term psychopath is a former name for an individual with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). In fact, the term was included in the first two editions of the diagnostic manual, before being replaced by the term ASPD, although there is some disagreement over whether the two conditions are synonymous.

The most well-known test used by some to assess psychopathic traits is called the Hare Checklist, which was developed by Canadian psychologist Dr. Robert D. Hare, and has undergone several revisions in recent decades.

Describing some of the ways ASPD can manifest in people’s behaviour, the APA lists a number of traits that crossover with those on the Hare Checklist, like repeated violations of the law; exploitation of others; deceitfulness; impulsivity; aggressiveness; reckless disregard for the safety of self and others; and irresponsibility – accompanied by lack of guilt, remorse, and empathy.

In a video on his YouTube channel, behavioural expert Scott Rouse explained how to do the test, before revealing what people’s scores could indicate. Before going through the different questions in the test, he noted: ‘Now, keep in mind, this is not a professional assessment for psychopathy at all. I’m not a psychiatrist, I’m not a psychologist, or anything like that.’

Former Made In Chelsea star Spencer Matthews (pictured) is set to undergo one of TV’s most extreme psychological experiments – to find out if he really is a psychopath

He added that the video was just to give people an indication of how this tool may be used by some professionals. Describing the test, Scott said: ‘It’s a diagnostic tool used to assess psychopathy. It was developed by Dr Robert hair in the 1970s and it’s commonly used in clinical assessments, research and forensic settings.

‘The Checklist consists of 20 items, each scored on a three point scale – zero, one, or two, based on how well the statement applies to the individual being assessed.’

Scott recommended people take a piece of paper, and write down the number for each question, then create a column to write down the response.

1. Glibness / superficial charm

According to Scott: ‘This refers to a persuasive, and sincere charm. There’s often characteristic of some individuals with manipulative personalities marked by a smooth, easy manner of speaking that is intended to be convincing and captivating, yet it lacks the depth and sincerity that you normally would hear and see.

‘Is that present in your life? If it’s not at all put a zero, if it’s somewhat present in your life, put one and if it’s definitely present in your life, put two.’

2. Egocentricity / grandiose sense of self-worth

‘These refer to a personality trait where individuals have an inflated view of themselves, often perceiving their abilities, worth or importance as greater than they actually are,’ Scott explained, before again telling viewers to note their score.

Serial killer Richard Ramirez (pictured) was known as the Night Stalker. He was convicted of killing 13 people and sentenced to death in 1989, but died of natural causes in 2013

3. Proneness to boredom / low frustration tolerance

Scott said: ‘These often occur together and describe a person’s limited ability to engage with routine or delayed gratification without becoming frustrated or losing interest. If they’re not present in your life at all, put a zero, if they’re somewhat present, put a one, if definitely present in your life, put a two.’

4. Pathological lying and deception

Pathological deception involves a persistent compulsive tendency to lie or manipulate the truth, according to Scott. He noted that this goes ‘far beyond ordinary social fabrication, or white lies’.

5. Conning / lack of sincerity

‘Conning and a lack of sincerity are behavioural traits often seen in manipulative and deceitful individuals, characterised by dishonesty and expectation and interactions with others,’ Scott said in the video.

6. Lack of remorse or guilt

One of the signs of psychopathy that is most commonly represented in popular culture is a lack of remorse or guilt.

American serial killer and sex offender Jeffrey Dahmer (pictured in court in 1991) killed and dismembered at least 17 men and boys

According to Scott: ‘[This is a ] psychological trait often observed in individuals who do not feel or express any regret or sorrow for the actions that cause harm to others.’

Reminding viewers to keep tally of their score once more, he added: ‘If that’s not you at all, put a zero, if it’s somewhat you, put a one, and if it’s you for sure, put a two.’

7. Lack of affect and emotional depth

A lack of affect and emotional depth is also known as flat effect. Scott explained that this describes a ‘psychological state where an individual shows reduced emotional expressiveness and experiences shallow range of emotions’.

8. Callous/lack of empathy

‘Callousness and a lack of empathy describe a personality trait where an individual shows a marked insensitivity to the feelings or sufferings of others and an inability to understand or share the emotions of another person,’ Scott said.

9. Parasitic lifestyle

A parasitic lifestyle is once in which the individual relies excessively on others for personal gain. According to Scott, this often comes at the expense of those they depend on.

Ted Bundy, an American serial killer who confessed to 28 murders, but is believed to be responsible for more than 100, was considered to be a psychopath. He was executed by electric chair in January 1989 in Florida (pictured in 1978)

‘This lifestyle is characterised by a lack of self sufficiency and ongoing exploitation of others, such as money, housing or emotional support,’ he added.

10. Short-tempered / poor behavioural controls

This refers to a personality trait and a behavioural issue where an individual ‘exhibits a low tolerance for frustration and frequent, often unpredictable emotional outbursts’, the behavioural expert explained.

11. History of promiscuous sexual relations

Describing what a history of promiscuous sexual relations means in the video, Scott said: ‘This refers to a pattern of engaging in numerous sexual relationships or encounters characterised by a lack of discernment or commitment to any particular partner.’

12. History of early behaviour problems

‘A history of early behaviour problems refer to persistent patterns of disruptive, aggressive or anti social behaviours observed in children or adolescents,’ Scott explained.

13. Lack of realistic, long-term plans

US-based behavioural expert Scott Rouse (pictured) has discussed the Hare Psychopathy Checklist in a video on his YouTube channel

Moving onto the thirteenth point on the checklist, which is a lack of realistic, long-term plans, Scott said: ‘This refers to behavioural trait where an individual consistently fails to set feasible goals or strategise effectively for the future.’

14. Impulsivity

‘Impulsivity is a psychological trait characterised by the tendency to act on urges and desires without deliberation or consideration of the consequences,’ said Scott.

‘This behaviour is typically hasty, [not] thought out, and is potentially harmful [towards] oneself or others,’ he concluded.

15. Irresponsible behaviour

Moving onto the fifteenth point – irresponsible behaviour – Scott said this pertains to ‘different actions or patterns of behaviour that demonstrate a disregard for the consequences of one’s actions on oneself or others’.

He added that this trait can manifest in various aspects of life – including personal, professional and social contexts.

16. Frequent marital relationships

This refers to a pattern where an individual engages in multiple marriages or a relatively short period of time.

‘The behaviour can reflect various underlying psychological and social factors,’ Scott said.

17. History of juvenile delinquency

According to Scott: ‘A history of juvenile delinquency refers to involvement in illegal or anti social behaviours during one’s youth, typically before reaching adulthood.’

He noted that this term encompasses a range of activities, from minor rule breaking to more serious crimes.

‘If you weren’t a troublemaker when you were young, if this is nothing for you, not present your life at all, score a zero, [if it’s] somewhat, score one, and if it was definitely present, score two,’ he added.

18. Revocation of conditional release

Revocation of conditional release refers to the ‘cancellation or withdrawal of conditional freedom granted to an individual, typically after they have been convicted of a crime’.

Scott continued: ‘This conditional release can come in various forms, such as parole, probation or other types of supervised freedom.

‘The revocation happens when the individual fails to comply with the terms set forth and their release conditions.’

Again, he reminded viewers – who should be scoring themselves on every question, that if this is not at all relevant, score zero, if it is somewhat relevant, it’s one, and if it’s definitely present, put a two.

Spencer Mathew (pictured) is set to front a new investigative documentary, produced by Mettlemouse for Channel 4, which explores the question, can you be a ‘good psychopath’?

19. Failure to accept responsibility for own actions

‘This refers to a behavioural trait for an individual consistently avoids acknowledging their personal role and negative outcomes or mistakes,’ said Scott.

‘This behaviour can manifest in various contexts, and is characterised by several key aspects, like denial of fault, blaming others, rationalisation and lack of self reflection.’

20. Many types of offence

The phrase ‘many types of offence’ encompasses a broad spectrum of violations that can occur across legal, social and ethical domains, Scott explained.

He continued: ‘So, here’s a structured definition covering the main categories – criminal offences; civil offences; breach of contract; regulatory offences; financial misconduct; social or ethical offences; professional misconduct.’

The highest numerical score someone can get in the test is 40.

Speaking about the results, Scott said: ‘[If you scored] between zero and 10, you’re doing all right. If you hit between 10 and 20, you’ve led a fairly interesting life.

‘I think if you hit between 20 and 30, you’ve had a really interesting life. But 30 and above […] if you’re worried about it, go see somebody, go talk to a psychologist, go talk to a therapist.’

Spencer MatthewsChannel 4Made In Chelsea

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The unexpected trait that shows you could be a psychopath – as Spencer Matthews admits he ‘sometimes wonders’ whether he is

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