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FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGYFORENSIC PSYCHOLOGYLECTURE 4LECTURE 4

Clinical and Forensic AssessmentClinical and Forensic Assessment

of Psychopathyof Psychopathy

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Learning OutcomesLearning Outcomes Review of Lecture 3 – History of Psychopathy, Review of Lecture 3 – History of Psychopathy,

Cleckley’s “Mask of Sanity”, Anti Social Personality Cleckley’s “Mask of Sanity”, Anti Social Personality Disorder, Psychopathy, Hare Psychopathy Disorder, Psychopathy, Hare Psychopathy Checklist. Checklist.

Evaluate the usefulness of the Hare Psychopathy Evaluate the usefulness of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist –Revised (PCL-R).Checklist –Revised (PCL-R).

Examine the concept of assessing risk and Examine the concept of assessing risk and recidivism in forensic populations.recidivism in forensic populations.

Investigate the mind set of the psychopath.Investigate the mind set of the psychopath.

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Hare PCL-R. . . . . Use and Hare PCL-R. . . . . Use and Misuse Misuse

Reliable and valid assessment of the clinical Reliable and valid assessment of the clinical construct of “psychopathy”construct of “psychopathy”

Personality and behaviour is different from other Personality and behaviour is different from other offendersoffenders

Violence and aggression is remorseless – without Violence and aggression is remorseless – without “conscience”“conscience”

1% of the general population1% of the general population

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Hare PCL-R. . . . . Use and Hare PCL-R. . . . . Use and Misuse Misuse

Manifested by “persistent criminals, killers, drug Manifested by “persistent criminals, killers, drug dealers, corrupt politicians, child abusers, con men, dealers, corrupt politicians, child abusers, con men, doctors, terrorists, salesmen, unethical lawyers, gang doctors, terrorists, salesmen, unethical lawyers, gang members....”members....”

Misused by those with improper training, Misused by those with improper training, experience, etc.experience, etc.

Concept of “Labelling”Concept of “Labelling”

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Subtypes of Psychopathy

Millon & DavisMillon & Davis

The Unprincipled Psychopath The Unprincipled Psychopath The Disingenous PsychopathThe Disingenous Psychopath The Risk Taking Psychopath The Risk Taking Psychopath The Covetous Psychopath The Covetous Psychopath The Spineless Psychopath The Spineless Psychopath The Explosive Psychopath The Explosive Psychopath The Abrasive PsychopathThe Abrasive Psychopath The Malevolent Psychopath The Malevolent Psychopath The Tyrannical PsychopathThe Tyrannical Psychopath The Malignant PsychopathThe Malignant Psychopath

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PCL-R Validity Related Findings PCL-R Validity Related Findings

Hare & Hart (1999)Hare & Hart (1999)Psychopaths commit criminal acts at an earlier Psychopaths commit criminal acts at an earlier age.age.

Psychopaths commit a greater variety of Psychopaths commit a greater variety of offences.offences.

Psychopaths offend at a higher rate than do non Psychopaths offend at a higher rate than do non psychopaths.psychopaths.

For non-violent offences, psychopaths may For non-violent offences, psychopaths may burnout at age 35.burnout at age 35.

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PCL-R Validity Related Findings PCL-R Validity Related Findings Hare & Hart (1999)Hare & Hart (1999) Even while serving a sentence, psychopaths Even while serving a sentence, psychopaths

engage in more disruptive behaviour than do engage in more disruptive behaviour than do non-psychopaths.non-psychopaths.

Malingering and psychopathy significantly Malingering and psychopathy significantly correlate in insanity acquittees in forensic correlate in insanity acquittees in forensic hospitals.hospitals.

Escape behaviour and psychopathy correlate in Escape behaviour and psychopathy correlate in forensic patients.forensic patients.

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PCL-R Validity Related FindingsPCL-R Validity Related Findings

Hare & Hart (1999)Hare & Hart (1999)

Psychopathy is a predictor of violence and Psychopathy is a predictor of violence and recidivism. recidivism.

Psychopaths tend to engage in predatory Psychopaths tend to engage in predatory violence and may threaten strangers with violence and may threaten strangers with weapons motivated by vengeance, retribution or weapons motivated by vengeance, retribution or sadismsadism

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PCL-R Validity Related FindingsPCL-R Validity Related Findings Non psychopaths tend to engage in expressive Non psychopaths tend to engage in expressive

violence and may commit criminal acts that violence and may commit criminal acts that include sexual assault or battery and are often include sexual assault or battery and are often motivated by anger, jealously or sexual arousal.motivated by anger, jealously or sexual arousal.

Among sex offenders, psychopathy is associated Among sex offenders, psychopathy is associated with sexual sadism and violent recidivism.with sexual sadism and violent recidivism.

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Risk Assessment Risk Assessment Hare PCL-R predictor of recidivismHare PCL-R predictor of recidivism

Why should we assess dangerousness?Why should we assess dangerousness?

Evaluating criminal responsibility.Evaluating criminal responsibility.Pre-sentencing/pre pleading.Pre-sentencing/pre pleading.Post sentencing (Temporary Release)Post sentencing (Temporary Release)Civil Commitment.Civil Commitment.Appraisal of honesty/truth.Appraisal of honesty/truth.

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Hare Psychopathy Checklist - Hare Psychopathy Checklist - UsefulnessUsefulness

GaconoGacono

Prescreening prevents inappropriate admissionsPrescreening prevents inappropriate admissions

Assessment of psychopathy protects staff from Assessment of psychopathy protects staff from violenceviolence

Identification of high risk offenders can guide Identification of high risk offenders can guide staff in developing specialised plans for staff in developing specialised plans for monitoring, controlling and treating behaviour.monitoring, controlling and treating behaviour.

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Hare Psychopathy Checklist - Hare Psychopathy Checklist - UsefulnessUsefulness

Assessment of psychopathy makes testing Assessment of psychopathy makes testing important for security reasonsimportant for security reasons

Useful for the assessment of community riskUseful for the assessment of community risk

Useful for the prevention of victimisation among Useful for the prevention of victimisation among other patientsother patients

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SchemasSchemas ““An organised structure of information about a An organised structure of information about a

particular domain of life – a structure that serves particular domain of life – a structure that serves the person as a pattern for selecting and the person as a pattern for selecting and processing new information” (Craighead et al. processing new information” (Craighead et al. 1997)1997)

Psychopathy – failure of schema based Psychopathy – failure of schema based processesprocesses

Dysfunctional schemas – “ I need to be the Dysfunctional schemas – “ I need to be the aggressor or I will be the victim”aggressor or I will be the victim”

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SchemasSchemas Dysfunctional schemas + ASPD/ADHD lead to Dysfunctional schemas + ASPD/ADHD lead to

information processing deficiencies in information processing deficiencies in psychopathspsychopaths

Non psychopaths with ASPD - cognitive Non psychopaths with ASPD - cognitive distortions distortions

Psychopaths - cognitive deficiencies and failures Psychopaths - cognitive deficiencies and failures of schema based processesof schema based processes

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Thinking and Psychopathy Thinking and Psychopathy

Kendall & Dobson (1993)Kendall & Dobson (1993) Cognitive Deficiencies Vs. Cognitive DistortionsCognitive Deficiencies Vs. Cognitive Distortions

Deficiencies involve a lack or deficit in Deficiencies involve a lack or deficit in information negative processing / the inability to information negative processing / the inability to learn new informationlearn new information

Distortions involve intact information processes Distortions involve intact information processes but thoughts may be negative and dysfunctionalbut thoughts may be negative and dysfunctional

Psychopaths - Cognitive DeficienciesPsychopaths - Cognitive Deficiencies

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Thinking and Psychopathy Thinking and Psychopathy

Kendall & Dobson (1993)Kendall & Dobson (1993)

Deficit in response modulation – “brief and relatively Deficit in response modulation – “brief and relatively automatic shifts of attention from the organisation and automatic shifts of attention from the organisation and implementation of goal-directed behaviour to the implementation of goal-directed behaviour to the evaluation of the ongoing behaviour of the current evaluation of the ongoing behaviour of the current response set (Patterson & Newman, 1993)response set (Patterson & Newman, 1993)

Self regulation processes (self monitoring, self Self regulation processes (self monitoring, self evaluation and self reinforcement) evaluation and self reinforcement) If functioning properly, behaviour is modifiedIf functioning properly, behaviour is modifiedIf maladaptive, inappropriate behaviour continues – If maladaptive, inappropriate behaviour continues – psychopath.psychopath.

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The Internal World of the Psychopath

Meloy & Gacono – Rorschach - sample of Meloy & Gacono – Rorschach - sample of prison/hospital inmates who met criteria for ASPD prison/hospital inmates who met criteria for ASPD – children,adolescents, male and female inmates.– children,adolescents, male and female inmates.

Attachments deficits in all groups.Attachments deficits in all groups. Non aggressive responses to RorschachNon aggressive responses to Rorschach Psychopaths high on narcissismPsychopaths high on narcissism Psychopaths had significant cognitive Psychopaths had significant cognitive

impairments.impairments.

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Analysis of StudiesAnalysis of StudiesRoss & Porporino – All shared a characteristic that Ross & Porporino – All shared a characteristic that

had an effect on the individuals thinkinghad an effect on the individuals thinking

Deviant behaviour occurs because individuals Deviant behaviour occurs because individuals operate deficits in thinking.operate deficits in thinking.

Self Control/ImpulsivitySelf Control/Impulsivity Cognitive style problemCognitive style problem

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Analysis of StudiesAnalysis of Studies Concrete thinking versus abstract thinkingConcrete thinking versus abstract thinking Conceptual rigidityConceptual rigidity Problematic interpersonal skillsProblematic interpersonal skills Ego centricEgo centric Value system.Value system.

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Critique of Hare Psychopathy Critique of Hare Psychopathy ChecklistChecklist

Millon et al.Millon et al.

Gunn – Gunn – “psychopathic” synonymous with “bad” “psychopathic” synonymous with “bad” - law sees psychopaths as “bad” rather than - law sees psychopaths as “bad” rather than “mad”.“mad”.

Concept of labeling – feels psychopathy is a Concept of labeling – feels psychopathy is a moral term and serves as a trigger for rejection in moral term and serves as a trigger for rejection in terms of treatment, etc.terms of treatment, etc.

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Critique of Hare Psychopathy Critique of Hare Psychopathy ChecklistChecklist

Miller (1991) – labels and diagnosis as “social Miller (1991) – labels and diagnosis as “social prescriptions”.prescriptions”.

Toch - Psychopathy is a pejorative label and is Toch - Psychopathy is a pejorative label and is subjective – aimed at incapacitation of offenders. subjective – aimed at incapacitation of offenders. Psychopathy highlights personality traits but Psychopathy highlights personality traits but does not facilitate understanding of those traits.does not facilitate understanding of those traits.