Psychopathy

Question 1

Importance

Answer 1

-Psychopaths perform > 50% of violent crime.
-Psychopaths recidivate 3 - 4x more than nonpsychopaths following release from prison.
-“Successful” psychopaths use the system and people to get what they want.
-They affect other’s treatment as they take over sessions and after treatment can be more destructive.

Question 2

Hare psychopathy checklist - revised (PCL-R)

Answer 2

Uses
• assessing and diagnosing psychopathy for research and clinical purposes
• parole board hearings / dangerous offender verdicts
• best predictive tool for recidivism / risk assessments
The Checklist
• 20 characteristics
• semi-structured interview and collateral information
• childhood, relationships, work experience, family history, criminal history, general view of life and people

Question 3

PCL-R items

Answer 3

Factor 1
1. Glib/Superficial Charm
2. Grandiose Sense of Self Worth
4. Pathological Lying
5. Conning / Manipulative
6. Lack of Remorse or Guilt
7. Shallow Affect
8. Callous / Lack of Empathy
16. Failure to Accept Responsibility

Factor 2
3. Need for Stimulation
9. Parasitic Lifestyle
10. Poor Behavioral Controls
12. Early Behavior Problems
13. Lack of Realistic, Long Term Goals
14. Impulsivity
15. Irresponsibility
18. Juvenile Delinquency
19. Revocation of Conditional Release

Items not loading on either Factor
11. Promiscuous Sexual Behaviour
17. Many Short-term Marital Relationships
20. Criminal Versatility

Scored 0,1,2 for total of 40
possible points

Question 4

Conclusions about psychopathy

Answer 4

• Inefficient neural communication and integration between dorsolateral PFC, OFC and limbic structures may explain the deficits in executive functioning observed in psychopaths.
• This impact may not be observed during standard IQ or neuropsychological tests because psychopaths have adapted to use alternate neural systems that play a compensatory role.
• However, when put into many real life situations these results suggest a neurobiological basis for psychopaths’ faulty emotional and inhibitory processes that makes the emotional brakes on behavior (conscience) weak, enabling psychopaths to engage in predatory, violent acts without regret.