Personality Adjective Check List (PACL)

by Stephen Strack, Ph.D.

Publisher: 21st Century Assessment, South Pasadena, CA

IASPP and Dr. Millon are proud to feature the PACL, an instrument developed by Stephen Strack, Ph.D., a former student and long-time associate of Dr. Millon's. As a graduate student at the University of Miami he worked with Professor Millon, the late Robert B. Meagher, Jr., and Catherine Green. Since receiving his PhD in clinical psychology (1983), Dr. Strack has continued to work in the area of personality. He has become a nationally recognized expert on personality theory and measures, a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and a Board Member of the Institute for Advanced Studies. Dr. Strack is currently a research and clinical psychologist at the VA Outpatient Clinic, and a professor at the California School of Professional Psychology (Alliant University) and Fuller Graduate School of Psychology, all in the Los Angeles area.
 

The PACL is 153-item self-report and rating measure of Millon's (1969/1983) eight basic personality patterns for use with normal adults and counseling patients. It features a problem indicator (PI) scale that taps aspects of Millon's three severe schizoid, cycloid, and paranoid styles, and may be used a measure of personality disorder. Three response bias indices are available to detect protocols that have been answered in a random manner or with intent to give an overly favorable or unfavorable impression. PACL personality scales measure theoretically-derived, normal versions of the character types most frequently seen in clinical settings. Test results yield rich descriptions of respondents in a language that closely resembles that found in the DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). The PACL is exceptionally easy to administer and complete (5-10 mins.), and is readily accepted by resistant clients and those who find a questionnaire too demanding (e.g., the elderly and some disabled clients). It is frequently used by therapists and personnel psychologists who work with relatively high functioning individuals and who want to understand the strengths of their clients as well as their weaknesses. The measure has been used in numerous research studies that tested various propositions of Millon's theory and addressed the interface between normal and abnormal personality (e.g., Strack, 1991c, 1993, 1997).

The PACL is appropriate for use with persons 16 years-of-age and older who read at minimally the 8th-grade level. It has been successfully employed by therapists working in high school and college counseling centers and employee assistance programs; by vocational counselors, personnel psychologists, marriage and family counselors; by therapists doing custody and worker's compensation evaluations; and by general practitioners who work with a variety of clients. Because the PACL is quick and easy to administer (5-10 mins.), it is often given during initial screening visits to assess personality style and identify persons who may have more serious character problems. Clinicians have found it to be useful with people who can't or won't complete questionnaire measures, for example, some medical patients, teen-agers, and the elderly.

Inquiries about the PACL are welcome. For current pricing of PACL test products and to place an order, please contact the publisher. VISA and MASTERCARD are accepted. Shipping is available to all international locations.

Publisher: 21st Century Assessment
P.O. Box 608
South Pasadena, CA 91031-0608

http://www.21stcenturyassessment.com

Telephone: (800) 374-2100
FAX: (626) 441-0614
E-Mail: SNSTRACK@AOL.COM

"Millon," M-PACI," "MACI," "MAPI," "MBHI," "MBMD," "MCMI-II," and "MCMI-III" are trademarks and "MIPS" is a registered trademark of DICANDRIEN, INC.