Jason M. Smith

Maverick Psychology

Murder is antithetical to any traditional conceptualization of femininity or the nurturer role. Women do, however, commit murder, as well as a plethora of other heinous offenses. Understanding the personality of women who murder is of both clinical and scientific interest. In this study, we present the PCL-R, PAI, and Rorschach data of 24 incarcera...

In this piece we answer frequently asked question regarding the R-PAS and CS. We present the facts supported by data. A must read for proponents and/or critics of the Rorschach.

Determining a patient's aggressivity is a function of assessing multiple factors, including personality vulnerabilities, past behaviors, and potential future circumstances. Evaluating the nature and predominance of aggressive drive, impulse control, affect lability, inhibitory mechanisms, cognitive deficits, and conscious and unconscious attitudes...

As always the field of psychology is threatened from within. This chapter discusses disturbing trends in the profession and their impact on research and practice. The integrity of the "science" has been sacrificed on the alter of PC and advocacy..

In this in press commentary we discuss 10 frequently asked questions concerning the R-PAS and CS/CS-R. We clarify misinformation and provide the reader with original sources to analyze the issues for themselves.

Psychopathy is an essential construct for research and applied usage (Gacono, 2016). The Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R; Hare, 2003) is the only valid method for assessing the Cleckley psychopath. In this chapter, we discuss theoretical and empirical roots of psychopathy and provide clinical and forensic guidelines for use of the PCL-R. We re...

New Book on female psychopathy

PCL-R & Rorschach assessment/Purchase consultation and PCL-R/SV interview schedule

Managing the incarcerated population is the primary task within correctional settings. Using psychological assessment to predict institutional behavior, the psychologist has a unique set of skills essential to the management of prisoners. PCL-R, PAI, and Rorschach data were compared with institutional infractions (total, physical, verbal, non-aggre...

In a previous article we discussed the use of comparative group data in Rorschach Interpretation. In this article we discuss basic principles for interpreting variables and indices within the individual protocol.

Recently in Psychoanalytic Psychology, Gullhaugen et al. (2021) proposed a Dynamic Model of Psychopathy (DMP) to better understand psychopathic traits. Several issues with the authors' methodology, including the use of the Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version (PCL: SV) as an independent measure and a small sample size (N = 16) relative to their...

Erratum--please note on page 116, the total score of 34 should be 37. Also, the text should read "might receive" instead of receive, accounting for the potential individual items scoring.

I want to draw attention to the updates for the Rorschach Comprehensive System. Patrick Fontain and his colleagues with the Rorschach Institute have collaborated with Rorschach Workshops insuring that the CS remains current and vital. This is a must "follow" for those who use the Rorschach in clinical/forensic practice. Carl Gacono

The psychopathic personality is organized at a borderline level of personality. Additionally, while male psychopaths are considered to manifest pathological narcissism, female psychopaths are best understood in terms of malignant hysteria. Using Kernberg's three components of borderline personality functioning (identity diffusion, reliance on primi...

Due to its altered administration procedures, the R-PAS system (Rorschach) should not be considered equivalent to Exner's Comprehensive System. Consequently, the validity of the CS does not necessarily transfer to the R-PAS. This article discussed essential issues that need to be considered before using the R-PAS in any applied context.

Between 1980 and 2018, the number of incarcerated women increased by more than 750%, rising from a total of 26,378 to 225,345. Managing and treating these women can be challenging. Understanding Female Offenders: Psychopathy, Criminal Behavior, Assessment, and Treatment provides a guide for meeting these challenges. In addition to providing a sound...

In this chapter, we provide a theoretical and empirically based understanding of antisocial and psychopathic women. We begin by clarifying the differences between psychopathy, sociopathy, and ASPD, and then provide a historical perspective of hysteria. While the underlying personality of the female psychopath is paranoid, malignant hysteria is thei...

Historically, the cornerstone of the psychologist’s identity rested on providing competent in-depth psychological assessment (Rapaport, Gill, & Schafer, 1946). The ability to utilize a battery of assessment methods to elucidate complex issues makes the psychologist unique among other mental health professionals. Recent trends, however, have tarnish...

Despite the perception that women do not commit sexual offenses, female offenders engage in sexual homicide, sexually assault their students or their own children, and, at times, work with co-perpetrators to sexually aggress against their victims. Few studies have used psychological tests to psychometrically map the personality of female sexual off...

The treatment and management of female offenders provide unique challenges to even the most experienced clinicians. Incarcerated women, in addition to exhibiting multiple mental health issues, trauma histories, and chronic substance use, provoke strong countertransference reactions that if not managed, threaten the integrity of any treatment endeav...

Long before psychology, bias has existed in science. From the beginning, concerns have been raised about the reliability, validity, and accuracy of social science research (Meehl, 1954). In this chapter, we define and discuss the origins of bias and how it can erode the scientific method. We focus specifically on bias in psychological research, the...

This article is part I of a two part series. It discusses the interpretative importance of anchoring Rorschach data within a larger body of comparative (both nonpatient and clinical) group data.

It is essential to understand that CS validity research does not translated directly to the R-PAS. In this article we dicuss essential issues to consider prior to using the R-PAS in an applied context.

The histories of incarcerated women exhibit a multitude of personality issues including psychopathy, trauma, and interpersonal dependency. Two studies were undertaken to better understand these issues with psychopathic (PCL-R ≥ 30; N = 115) and non-psychopathic (PCL-R ≤ 24; N = 53) women incarcerated for drug, theft, fraud, violence, and sex offens...

The article discusses several key issues to consider prior to using the R-PAS in a forensic context.

Mihura’s (2019) recent commentary on Smith et al.’s (2018) article, “A Scientific Critique of Rorschach Research: Revisiting Exner’s Issues and Methods in Rorschach Research (1995)” raised several issues surrounding our internal validity criteria and our approach to validating Rorschach research. Mihura also conducted additional statistical analyse...

Psychopathy is an essential construct in forensic mental health. While male psychopathy and aggression has been thoroughly studied, less is known about this relationship with female psychopathy. In this article, the relationship between female psychopathy (Psychopathy Checklist-Revised [PCL-R] total, factor, and facet scores) and the Rorschach Aggr...

In this study, PCL-R scores were used in correlational analyses with PAI scales in a sample of incarcerated women (N = 133). The total PCL-R score was significantly correlated with many PAI scales including ANT, DRG, and AGG. Categorical analyses were also used where the psychopathic women (N = 71; PCL-R ≥ 30) were significantly higher on the PAI s...

Based on findings from prior research studies, trauma histories have been found to be ubiquitous in psychopathic women. In this study, the Rorschach Trauma Content Index (TCI) was used to better understand the trauma histories of incarcerated women (N = 180). The TCI was significantly correlated with total reported trauma events, reported sexual ab...

The Rorschach Comprehensive System Egocentricity Index (EGOI) and its component variables have been useful in understanding antisocial and psychopathic individuals (Gacono & Meloy, 1994; Gacono, Meloy, & Heaven, 1990). In this study, the EGOI, Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) scales and the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) were used with...

In this study, the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), the Rorschach, and the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) were used to elucidate the personality functioning of incarcerated females with sex offenses against minors (FSOAM; N = 31). There was significant convergence among the PCL-R, PAI, and Rorschach data. Both the PAI and Rorschach su...

Exner’s (1995a) Issues and Methods in Rorschach Research provided a standard of care for conducting Rorschach research; however, the extent to which studies have followed these guidelines has not been examined. Similarly, meta-analytic approaches have been used to comment on the validity of Exner’s Comprehensive System (CS) variables without an eva...

Psychopathy is considered an essential construct in forensic work (Gacono, 2016). Most methodologically sound studies have involved males rather than females (Smith et al., 2014). Gender differences have been found to be, and continue to be considered important in the assessment and management of forensic populations (Cunliffe et al., 2016). Male p...

A critical review of R-PAS. Symposium conducted at the Society for Personality Assessment 2018 Annual Convention (SPA 2018), Washington DC, USA

Code for Hermann: Enhanced Structural Summary and Supplementary Scales (CHESSSS©; Fontan et al., 2013) is a free, open source software program using Microsoft Excel© to assist in computing Rorschach Comprehensive System (Exner, 2003) variables . The program scores protocols for children, adolescents, and adults. Further, the program offers the opti...

In the present chapter, we discuss the role of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) and Rorschach in forensic psychological assessment. We stress the importance of using a multi-method over a mono-method assessment approach and advocate for the incremental validity of psychological testing over interviews alone as an essential aspect of a...

Female psychopathy has been conceived as a malignant form of hysteria organized at the borderline level of personality function. In this study, the PCL-R was used to assess psychopathy, and the Rorschach Comprehensive System, Extended Aggression Scores, Rorschach Defense Scales, Rorschach Oral Dependency, Trauma Content Index, and Primitive Modes o...

Psychopathy is one of the oldest personality disorders and causes the most concern within society. The majority of the research has focused on males and little is known about female psychopathy. Fourteen female psychopaths (PCL-R ≥ 30) were studied using the Psychopathy-Checklist Revised and the Rorschach Inkblot Method with different scoring scale...

Wood et al. (2010) published a meta-analysis in which the authors challenged the utility of the Rorschach Inkblot Test in delineating key differences between psychopathic and non-psychopathic individuals identified by the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R; Hare, 1991/2003). In this article, Gacono et al.’s (2001) five conceptual and four methodo...