Evaluating Kevin from Split Using the PCL-R Psychopathy Scale
This paper evaluates Kevin Wendell Crumb, the central character from M. Night Shyamalan's film Split, as a potential Hollywood depiction of a psychopath. Using the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), the paper scores Kevin across all twenty criteria and argues that, while he exhibits some psychopathic traits, his documented dissociative identity disorder (multiple personality disorder), capacity for empathy, and moments of genuine remorse prevent a legitimate psychopathy diagnosis. The paper notes that Kevin's PCL-R total of approximately 24 falls below the standard diagnostic threshold of 30, and suggests that a DSM-5 possession or dissociative identity diagnosis may more accurately capture his psychological profile than psychopathy.
- Summary of the Film Split: Plot overview and Kevin's personality disorder
- Is Kevin a Good Example of a Psychopath?: Why Kevin does not meet psychopathy criteria
- PCL-R Hits and Misses: Scoring Kevin: Item-by-item PCL-R scoring of Kevin
- How Accurately Kevin Portrays the Traits of a Psychopath: Comparing Kevin to more accurate psychopath portrayals
- Conclusion: Alternative DSM-5 diagnosis and final assessment
- Appendix: Full PCL-R Scores: All twenty PCL-R items with assigned scores
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What makes this paper effective
- Applies a formal clinical instrument (the PCL-R) to a fictional character in a systematic, item-by-item fashion, grounding pop-culture analysis in established psychological methodology.
- Maintains intellectual honesty throughout — the author openly acknowledges where evidence is insufficient to assign a score and awards 0s and 1s accordingly rather than forcing a conclusion.
- Uses meaningful comparisons (Ted Bundy, Norman Bates, the Joker, Joe Pesci's Goodfellas character) to contextualize the argument and strengthen the claim that Kevin is not a prototypical cinematic psychopath.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates criterion-referenced character analysis — evaluating a subject against a standardized checklist (PCL-R) rather than relying solely on impressionistic description. This technique mirrors clinical case formulation: each trait is defined, evidence from the film is cited, and a justified score is assigned. The resulting aggregate score then drives the diagnostic conclusion, showing students how structured frameworks can discipline qualitative textual or film analysis.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a plot summary to establish the evidence base, then poses the central diagnostic question. A detailed PCL-R walkthrough of ten key items forms the analytical core, followed by a comparative discussion of psychopathy accuracy in Hollywood. The conclusion synthesizes findings and proposes an alternative DSM-5 diagnosis. An appendix lists all twenty PCL-R items with assigned scores, providing full methodological transparency.
Summary of the Film Split
Split opens with the abduction of three girls by Kevin. Kevin is not really in possession of himself, however: he has dissociative identity disorder (commonly known as multiple personality disorder), and it is the personality of Dennis that carries out the kidnapping. Several other personalities manifest during his therapy sessions, but for the most part these personalities are able to convince his doctor that they are harmless. Kevin's captives, however, see another side of him, and as a new personality emerges — the Beast — things turn violent.
Split ends with Kevin becoming "the Beast," a kind of comic-book animal-monster hybrid who is somehow able to scale walls. Kevin's personality disorder stems from childhood abuse, and as he is about to kill the final captive, he sees that she too is a victim of abuse and spares her out of sympathy. This demonstrates at least some sign of humanity not typically found in most true psychopaths.
Before transforming completely into the Beast, Kevin briefly surfaces when his name is called — as though conjured by a kind of magic act — but the other personalities quickly pull him back and bury him deep within. This suggests that Kevin is not a genuine psychopath, since he appears to be more the victim of a hostile internal takeover than anything else.
Is Kevin a Good Example of a Psychopath?
Not really. Kevin suffers from extreme dissociative identity disorder, with 24 distinct personalities identified by his doctor. The personality of Dennis is abusive toward women, and the Beast is homicidal and cannibalistic; but personalities like Patricia are calm and empathetic, while Hedwig is childlike. All of these personalities coexist inside Kevin, who is actually trapped and overwhelmed by them. Kevin, as himself, is not truly in control of his own thoughts or actions. Therefore, Kevin is not, strictly speaking, a good example of psychopathy — although it can be argued that all psychopaths have a kind of split presentation: one façade shown to the world, and another revealed only to their victims. This is certainly true of Kevin, though the personality typically shown to the world is usually Barry or Dennis. Barry is usually dominant, but Dennis emerges to abduct the girls and sacrifice them to the 24th personality, the Beast.
A better example of a psychopath in popular culture might be someone like Ted Bundy, or even Norman Bates from the film Psycho. Kevin could not reasonably be considered even a borderline psychopath based on his approximate score of 24 on the PCL-R. Part of the reason is that not enough is known about Kevin's early life, but also that he possesses personalities that are genuinely empathetic and sympathetic to others — after all, he spares the girl at the end because he recognizes in her the signs of an abuse survivor, and this kind of empathy is not typical of a psychopath. In many ways, he comes across as a possessed person. Possession is described in the DSM-5, so it is considered a legitimate diagnostic concept by psychologists. However, if more background information about Kevin were available, it might be possible to make a stronger case for psychopathy. Perhaps the sequel to the film offers additional evidence that could be drawn upon.
PCL-R Hits and Misses: Scoring Kevin
Kevin certainly scores some 2s on the PCL-R but also some 0s. He does not meet the threshold score of 30 required for a conservative diagnosis of psychopathy. At a score of approximately 24, it might be said that he leans in that direction, but other diagnoses would probably be better applied. The following ten items from the twenty-item PCL-R help explain why Kevin is something of a mixed bag when it comes to psychopathy.
1. Glibness / Superficial Charm — Score: 2. Kevin definitely demonstrates glibness at times, particularly in his sessions with his therapist, where he tries to act coy and more in control — so as to deceive her — than he really is. This is a direct hit and warrants a score of 2.
2. Grandiosity — Score: 1. Grandiosity may be part of Kevin's personality, but it is unclear. He seems to have plans — or at least his personalities seem to have plans, particularly regarding making a sacrifice to the Beast — but Kevin himself is locked somewhere deep below and appears just as much a captive as the girls abducted by Dennis. It is therefore hard to determine to what degree grandiosity is truly evident.
3. Conning and Manipulative — Score: 2 (with an asterisk). Kevin definitely comes across as conning and manipulative — or rather, Dennis does, through the kidnapping, for instance — but other personalities, like Hedwig, are trusting and naïve. This earns a score of 2 but with a caveat.
4. Lack of Remorse or Guilt — Score: 1. This trait is only evident at times — such as when the Beast is in control. When Kevin himself finally emerges, he begs to be put out of his misery; additionally, he shows sympathy for his victim and spares her, which may be a sign of remorse. This warrants a score of 1.
5. Callousness / Lack of Empathy — Score: 1. Kevin only occasionally displays this trait. At other times he shows considerable empathy — particularly when he is Hedwig or Patricia. This again is a score of 1, mainly because it is difficult to rate Kevin on this criterion given the number of distinct personalities, each with its own emotional register.
6. Parasitic Lifestyle — Score: 0. Kevin scores a 0 here because the film provides no clear evidence that he exhibits this type of trait at all.
7. Poor Behavioral Controls — Score: 2. This item clearly applies to Kevin, since he is unable to control himself in most situations. A score of 2 is warranted.
8. Promiscuous Sexual Behavior — Score: 2. Kevin scores a 2 here, but only based on what is known about Dennis and his established pattern of abusing women.
9. Many Short-Term Relationships or Marriages — Score: 0. Kevin scores a 0 on this item because it is not known whether he has had any such relationships.
10. Failure to Accept Responsibility — Score: 1. Kevin does accept responsibility when he himself briefly emerges at the end, but the moment is so fleeting that it is difficult to rate this clearly as a 2 or a 0. A score of 1 is most appropriate.
Overall, it is difficult to accurately assess Kevin using the PCL-R because there are so many different personalities to consider. Kevin himself is only present for a brief moment at the end of the film, and there is simply not enough time to understand his true personality before it is submerged again. One could argue that Kevin's "real" personality is Dennis, Patricia, or the Beast — but in making that argument, one is effectively acknowledging that Kevin has dissociative identity disorder, which is not the same thing as psychopathy.
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