Psychopathy

Question 1

What is psychopathy defined as?

Answer 1

• A complete lack of empathy and remorse
• Disregard for the wishes, rights of feelings of others
• Frequently deceitful and manipulative
• Use people, animals and situations instrumentally as tools for satisfying their desires
• Inflated sense of self-worth
• note violence and criminal behaviour are not a part of classifying this condition

Question 2

What is:

• Psychopathy?
• Sociopathy?
• Antisocial Behavioural Disorder?

Answer 2

• Psychopathy: the psychological view point, sees the condition as an inborn characteristic
• Sociopathy: the social perspective- a normal individual undergoes trauma to cause the characteristics of sociopathy (tend to be more reactive and less organised than psychopaths
• Antisocial personality disorder: a behavioural disorder with its own criteria, focuses on behaviour rather than personality

Question 3

What is conduct disorder?

Answer 3

• A disorder present in children
• A repetitive and persistent pattern of behaviour in which the basic rights of others or major age appropriate societal norms or rules are violated
  e. g. Aggression to people and animals, destruction of property, deceitfulness or theft, serious violations or rules
• Some go on to be classified with APSD in adulthood

Question 4

What is the classification of APSD?

Answer 4

• A pervasive pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others that begins in childhood or early adolescence and continues into adulthood
• The diagnosis can only be given to someone who is an adult (18+), who shows evidence of CD before the age of 15 and who’s antisocial behaviour is not associated with schizophrenia
• A person must present with at least 3 of the following: Failure to conform to social norms, deceitfulness, impulsivity, irritability and aggressiveness, reckless disregard for safety of self or others, consistent irresponsibility, lack of remorse

Question 5

How is psychopathy measured?

Answer 5

• Measured by the Hare Psycopathy checklist
• Based on 2 main factors, both of which contain 2 facets
• Possible scores of 0-40, scores >30 indicate psychopathy

Factor 1: Interpersonal/Affective Factor:

Facet 1. Interpersonal:

• Superficial charm
• Grandiose sense of self-worth
• Pathological lying
• Cunning/manipulative

Facet 2. Affective:

• Lack of remorse or guilt
• Shallow affect
• Lack of empathy
• Failure to accept responsibility

Factor 2:
Social Deviance- behavioural aspect:

Facet 3: Lifestyle:

• Need for stimulation/proneness to boredom
• Parasitic lifecycle
• Lack of realistic, long-term goals
• Impulsivity
• Irresponsibility

Facet 4: Antisocial:

• Poor behavioural controls
• Early behavioural problems
• Juvenile delinqueny
• Revocation of conditional release
• Criminal versitility

Additional items:

• Promisciou sexual behaviour
• Many short-term marital relationships

Question 6

How does psychopathy relate to recidivism?

Answer 6

• Individuals with psychopathy reoffend at higher rates than non-psychopathic individuals
• Those with higher scores in terms of factor 1 (affective) despite treatment still had increased recidivism but those with factor 2 (behavioural) would respond to treatment with lower recidivism

Question 7

What are the main 4 background factors associated with psychopathy?

Answer 7

1. Socioecononomic status: lower SES is associated with Factor 2 psychopathy, as well as lower levels of schooling and intelligence
2. Depression and anxiety: Factor 1 psychopathy is inversely associated with depression, Factor 2 psychopathy is associated with anxiety
3. Substance abuse: associated with an increased risk of psychopathy Factor 2
4. ADHD (may only be correlational)

Question 8

Is psychopathy caused by nature of nurture?

Answer 8

Nature:

• Genetic links have been found: sons of psychopathic mothers at high risk, twin studies show heritability (same amount as depression and anxiety)
• A subset of children with conduct disorder show “callous-unemotional traits” in which they do not show fear to punishment or remorse/distress after hurting others
• Lack activation of amygdala in response to distressing/fear evoking imagery

Nurture:

• Severe parental rejection
• Lack of parental affection
• Inconsistency in discipline and teaching responsibility
• Absent father

Question 9

What are the issues with predicting psychopathy in childhood?

Answer 9

• Psychopathy is an adult personality disorder
• The cause of the child’s behaviour should be addressed
• Not all children with CD become adult psychopaths
• The core concept of psychopathy is an absence of conscious (the conscious is only formed at age 5-6)
• McDonald’s predictive triad: bed-wetting, fire-lighting and cruelty to animals (not well supported by empirical research)

Question 10

What treatment is there for psychopathy?

Answer 10

• There is search for the organic basis of the condition
• Psychological treatment is often enabling
• Skills training can be given
• Early intervention is key: Promising research with eye contact to treat children with callous unemotional traits (may help build neural connections)