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A clinical investigation of malingering and psychopathy in hospitalized NGRI patients
Abstract
This study compares Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) scores, DSM-III-R diagnoses, and select behavioral indices between hospitalized insanity acquittees (N = 18) and hospitalized insanity acquittees who successfully malingered (N = 18). The malingerers were significantly more likely to have a history of murder or rape, carry a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder or sexual sadism, and produce greater PCL-R factor 1, factor 2, and total scores than insanity acquittees who did not malinger. The malingerers were also significantly more likely to be verbally or physically assaultive, require specialized treatment plans to control their aggression, have sexual relations with female staff, deal drugs, and be considered an escape risk within the forensic hospital. These findings are discussed within the context of insanity statutes and the relevance of malingering, psychopathy, and treatability to future policy concerning the disposition of insanity acquittees.
... Psychopaths seem to have chameleon-like abilities to blend into their social environments to avoid being detected as antisocial predators (Book et al., 2015;Hare, 1999;Meloy et al., 2018). For instance, despite the personality traits associated with psychopathy being largely aversive and negative (De Vries et al., 2008), individuals with higher levels of psychopathic traits appear adept-at least in the short-term (Mealey, 1995)-in many areas of life, and particularly in the domain of dating (Gacono et al., 1995;Visser et al., 2010). One way in which psychopathic individuals may generate success as dating partners is that they are good at mimicking the qualities of a desirable partner (Brazil & Forth, 2020). ...
... Somehow these individuals end up in romantic relationships, it seems. Studies of men who are incarcerated have shown that those with elevated psychopathic traits even seem capable of finding women partners within the institutions where they are housed (Gacono et al., 1995;Logan, 2015). They may have used charm, kindness, and sensitivity to attract these partners. ...
... However, psychopathic traits occur to a greater absolute degree in offender populations, suggesting that future work should examine processes of deceptive mimicry in offenders, where these traits may exist to a greater extent. There does seem to be some evidence using offender samples that men higher in psychopathic traits use deceptive mimicry in the context of mating and dating (e.g., Gacono et al., 1995;Logan, 2015). ...
Psychopathic traits are associated with lower levels of Honesty-Humility, Emotionality, and Agreeableness from the HEXACO model, which capture antisocial traits. Yet, individuals with psychopathic traits—men in particular—appear to successfully acquire dating partners despite these traits. We examine in this paper whether men higher in psychopathic traits might shift their personality traits to mimic those that are more prosocial to appear more attractive to prospective dates. Participants were 165 heterosexual college men who completed the HEXACO and then watched a woman’s dating video. After the video, participants completed the HEXACO again with the instructions to be appealing to the woman in the video. Results showed that psychopathic traits were associated with greater increases in Honesty-Humility, Emotionality, and Agreeableness, and fewer increases in Extraversion across the HEXACO profiles. The observed increases in Honesty-Humility, Emotionality, and Agreeableness may represent men’s attempts at mimicking prosocial personality traits to appear more attractive as a potential partner. The findings suggest that psychopathic traits may affect men’s willingness to deceptively enhance prosocial personality traits, possibly as a means to appeal to prospective partners.
... Given that the present studies only evaluated if participants engaged in symptom overreporting and not why participants engaged in symptom over-reporting (i.e. the presence of external gains was not assessed), its findings are not a direct contradiction of those reported by, for example, Gacono, Meloy, Sheppard, Speth, and Roske (1995), who observed that offenders who malinger insanity exhibit more antisocial and psychopathic behaviour. It may be that relationships exist between specific forms of antisocial behaviour (e.g. ...
... The considerable disparities among research findings should suffice to dissuade clinicians from using antisocial behaviour as a red flag for symptom over-reporting, as propagated by the DSM-5. Although some studies have found statistically significant correlations between symptom over-reporting and antisocial behaviour (Niesten et al., 2015), only one study yielded findings that are of a high predictive value (Gacono et al., 1995 found psychopathy to be a strong predictor of malingering insanity). The studies by Kucharski and colleagues are illustrative in this regard, observing a moderate effect of ASPD and psychopathy on symptom over-reporting (Cohen's d D .89 and .86, ...
... Considering the empirical literature, this is clearly not the case with symptom over-reporting and antisocial behaviour. For instance, in the study that found the strongest relation between symptom over-reporting and antisocial behaviour (Gacono et al., 1995), the prevalence of ASPD in the sample of malingerers was 100%, whereas the prevalence of ASPD in the sample of non-malingerers was 55%. Thus, all who engaged in malingering were diagnosed with ASPD, but not all who were diagnosed with ASPD engaged in malingering (only 64% did). ...
In two studies (one with 57 forensic inpatients and one with 45 prisoners) the connection between biased symptom reporting and antisocial behaviour is explored. The findings are as follows: 1) the association between symptom over-reporting and antisocial features is a) present in self-report measures, but not in behavioural measures, and b) stronger in the punitive setting than in the therapeutic setting; and 2) participants who over-report symptoms a) are prone to attribute blame for their offence to mental disorders, and b) tend to report heightened levels of antisocial features, but the reverse is not true. The data provide little support for the inclusion of antisocial behaviour (i.e. antisocial personality disorder) as a signal of symptom over-reporting (i.e. malingering) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – Fifth Edition (DSM-5). The empirical literature on symptom over-reporting and antisocial/psychopathic behaviour is discussed and it is argued that the utility of antisocial behaviour as an indicator of biased symptom reporting is unacceptably low. © 2016 The Australian and New Zealand Association of Psychiatry, Psychology and Law
... The typical forensic patient may meet the criteria for schizophrenia, substance abuse, and antisocial personality disorder ( Gacono, Meloy, Sheppard, Speth, & Roske, 1995; Nedopil, Hollweg, Hartmann, & Jaser, 1995; Stalenheim & Von Knorring, 1996). These patients with multiple diagnoses, and particularly the psychopathic schizophrenic, require unique management and treatment considerations (Gacono & Meloy, 1994; Gacono, Neiberding, Owen, Rubel, & Bodholdt, 2001). ...
... However, this does not minimize the importance of assessing and understanding psychopathy in those settings (see Chapter ). In fact, the negative impact of the psychotic psychopath within less secure hospital settings is sometimes even more disruptive than in prison settings (Gacono et al., 1995; Gacono, Meloy, Speth, Roske, 1997, Hollweg, Hartmann, & Jaser, 1995; Stalenheim & Von Knorring, 1996), various forms of aggression (Hielbrun et al., 1998; Hill, Rogers, & Bickford, 1996 ), a wide range of institutional misbehaviors (Gacono et al., 1995; Gacono, et al., 1997; Hielbrun et al., 1998; Pham, Remy, Dailliet, & Lienard, 1998), treatment non-compliance and failure (Hill et al., 1996; Quinsey et al., 1998;), malingering 8 (Gacono et al., 1995), escape behavior (Gacono et al., 1997) and violent reoffense (Heilbrun et al. 1998; Quinsey et al., 1998; Young, Justice, & Erdberg, 1999). ...
... However, this does not minimize the importance of assessing and understanding psychopathy in those settings (see Chapter ). In fact, the negative impact of the psychotic psychopath within less secure hospital settings is sometimes even more disruptive than in prison settings (Gacono et al., 1995; Gacono, Meloy, Speth, Roske, 1997, Hollweg, Hartmann, & Jaser, 1995; Stalenheim & Von Knorring, 1996), various forms of aggression (Hielbrun et al., 1998; Hill, Rogers, & Bickford, 1996 ), a wide range of institutional misbehaviors (Gacono et al., 1995; Gacono, et al., 1997; Hielbrun et al., 1998; Pham, Remy, Dailliet, & Lienard, 1998), treatment non-compliance and failure (Hill et al., 1996; Quinsey et al., 1998;), malingering 8 (Gacono et al., 1995), escape behavior (Gacono et al., 1997) and violent reoffense (Heilbrun et al. 1998; Quinsey et al., 1998; Young, Justice, & Erdberg, 1999). ...
... Although the term 'psychopath' has gone through various historical misconceptions, psychopathy is generally conceptualized as a deviant developmental disorder characterized by a constellation of interpersonal, affective and lifestyle traits [34]; severe emotional and affective deficits [34,48]; and an inordinate amount of instrumental aggression [29,31,32,37,40]. The psychopath is affectively shallow, callous, and lacks the capacity to experience empathy, remorse and guilt. ...
... Most salient to psychopathic personality is the chronic emotional detachment from the suffering of the others [32,37] as psychopaths do not present any relational capacity to bond with other people [53, 51, 52, 34,]. Following Bowlby's rhetoric, several authors hypothesized that psychopaths' chronic emotional detachment is rooted in early traumatic childhood experiences of abuse, deprivation and neglect [3,49,41,32,62]. ...
Background: Psychopathy has been theoretically and clinically associated with pathologies of attachment. Cotemporary research on this theme, however, remains scarce.
Objectives: The aim of the present systematic review is to examine the relationship between attachment and criminal psychopathy amongst violent and sexually violent incarcerated offenders and forensic mental health patients.
Methods: Relevant databases (Psych Info, PubMed, Sage and Web of Science) were searched from 1980 to March 2019 to identify suitable studies for inclusion. The systemic review was carried out in line with ‘Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis’ (PRISMA) guidelines to ensure that bias is avoided and also to allow a rigorous and in-depth examination of the literature.
Results: Two studies were included in the review. The studies demonstrate that there is a high prevalence of traumatic childhood experiences, including various types of abuse and neglect amongst criminal psychopaths. It appears that attachment seems to be an important factor in understanding psychopathy.
Conclusion: Higher scores on psychopathy appear to be associated with abnormalities of attachment, such as disorganized, insecure- avoidant, and insecure –preoccupied attachment styles. Given the narrowness of the inclusion criteria, only two studies identified for inclusion. Future research should aim to explore further the relationship between attachment and psychopathy.
... In line with this view, especially trusting individuals are less accurate at identifying individuals with many psychopathic traits from short video clips (Manson, Gervais, & Bryant, 2018), suggesting those with psychopathic traits may successfully give the impression of seeming like they are similar to everyone else. Furthermore, some clinical reports and research findings show that psychopathic offenders may even acquire the trust and romantic commitment of clinical staff members (Gacono, Meloy, Sheppard, Speth, & Roske, 1995;Logan, 2015), showing that along with evading detection, their manipulative abilities can translate into partnerships that may benefit themselves. ...
... Additional research should aim to assess similar effects across psychopathy measures and samples, to address whether the favorable ratings for psychopathy in this study generalize to other measures such as the triarchic psychopathy measure (Patrick, 2010) and other populations such as offenders and community adults as well. Firstperson accounts certainly suggest that psychopathic men from the community (Kirkman, 2005) and prisons (Hare, 1993) are able to gain the trust of others, sometimes with alacrity and effectiveness (Gacono et al., 1995;Logan, 2015), but more experimental and survey assessments should bear this out (Book et al., 2015). Additionally, despite theoretical reasons for expecting psychopathic traits to have particular evolutionary importance in men compared to women (e.g., Brazil & Forth, 2020;Jonason et al., 2009;Wiebe, 2004), how psychopathy may influence exploitation and resource procurement in women should be a focus of future research as well, exploring whether women with psychopathic traits may be good at acquiring trust and belief from others in the social milieu. ...
In this study, we consider concurrently a disorder view and functional design view of psychopathy using different methods of fluctuating asymmetry (FA) and a target and rater paradigm involving filmed interactions. Targets were young men (N = 46) assessed on psychopathic traits and FA who took part in a video recorded deceptive emotion story where they were incentivized to convince others and gain their trust. Raters were young men and women (N = 1060) who rated the target's videos for genuineness and trust, followed by measures of individual differences such as personality traits. Results showed psychopathy was not related to FA. However, psychopathy was related to higher trust ratings over and above target men's attractiveness and appearance. Additionally, men highest in psychopathy scored significantly higher genuineness and trust ratings compared to men lowest in psychopathy. Lastly, interactions between rater's sex and personality predicted preferential ratings for high psychopathy men, with women higher in Emotionality showing more genuineness and trust of high psychopathy men. Findings suggest that in deceptive emotion contexts young men higher in psychopathy may be successful at convincing others and gaining trust, and particularly so from those with certain personality traits, which may indicate selective exploitation.
... Freud 1936Freud / 1966 and have no inhibitions. A history of violence, coupled with the predatory (instrumental) nature of their violence, makes ASPD patients with severe psychopathy very dangerous in a hospital milieu without appropriate security (Gacono et al. 1995(Gacono et al. , 1997. ...
... If clinicians come to understand the fantasized extremes of their own aggressive and hedonistic desires, this fascination will often devolve into more realistic boredom, and then the clinical task becomes maintaining interest in a patient who offers little hope for change (Meloy and Reavis 2006). In one study of malingering insanity acquittees (N=18) in a large forensic hospital, most were severely psychopathic and 39% had a consensual sexual relationship with or married a female staff member (Gacono et al. 1995). ...
... Freud 1936Freud / 1966 and have no inhibitions. A history of violence, coupled with the predatory (instrumental) nature of their violence, makes ASPD patients with severe psychopathy very dangerous in a hospital milieu without appropriate security (Gacono et al. 1995(Gacono et al. , 1997. ...
... If clinicians come to understand the fantasized extremes of their own aggressive and hedonistic desires, this fascination will often devolve into more realistic boredom, and then the clinical task becomes maintaining interest in a patient who offers little hope for change (Meloy and Reavis 2006). In one study of psychopathic patients in a large forensic hospital, 39% had a consensual sexual relationship with or married a female staff member (Gacono et al. 1995). ...
... The older study of Lynch and Bradford (1980) reported that offenders with antisocial personality traits have, indeed, a higher propensity to feign amnesia for crimes compared to those without such traits. Similarly, Gacono, Meloy, Sheppard, Speth, and Roske (1995) demonstrated that psychopathic offenders have higher malingering scores (see also Cima, Pantus, & Dams, 2007). However, with the exception of these two studies all others have failed to document a robust connection between psychopathy and the tendency to feign psychopathological symptoms. ...
... These and the current findings stress the importance of investigating the relationship between faking behavior and psychopathy. Since many textbooks on forensic psychology argue that psychopathy and malingering are intimately related (Gacono et al, 1995), one would expect relationships with psychopathy and faking bad. However, there are not many empirical studies examining the exact relationship between psychopathy and faking behavior. ...
The objective of this study was to investigate whether levels of psychopathy predicted claims of crime-related amnesia. Different characteristics of psychopathy were based on the factor structure of the self-report questionnaire Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI). Crime-related amnesia claims were scored from inmates (N=31) criminal file records. Results demonstrated that claims of crime-related amnesia were more frequently reported by individuals scoring high on impulsive antisocial psychopathy traits. Furthermore, offenders who claimed crime-related amnesia reported lower levels of instrumental/proactive aggression. There was no relationship between fearless-callous psychopathy traits or the use of reactive violence, and claims of crime-related amnesia. Within offenders who claimed amnesia for their crime, the majority demonstrated elevated levels of deception, suggesting that claims of amnesia might serve a strategic purpose. In addition, they more often reported having had a previous experience with memory loss, which may have formed the basis of simulation.
... Mounting evidence, however, indicates that psychopathic personality traits have been associated with various manifestations of criminal behaviour, ranged from partner aggression [87] and stalking [88] to sexual sadism and sexual homicides [89,90,93]DSM-III-R diagnoses, and select behavioral indices between hospitalized insanity acquittees (N = 18. In the USA, approximately 93% of male psychopaths are in prison [95,96]. ...
Psychopathy is the most controversial and elusive construct of our times. Although the concept has been around for over 100 years, our understanding of psychopathy remains relatively opaque as there appears to be little consensus in relation to the definition and clinical characteristics of the disorder. The etiology of psychopathy remains largely unknown, whereas psychological treatments for psychopathic patients are marked by therapeutic pessimism, as these patients appear immune to any therapeutic intervention. Given the confusion and heterogeneity of psychopathy, the aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the conceptualisations of psychopathy, starting from the early historical forerunners to the most recent formulations of the disorder
... Violence in incarcerated populations may be moderated by the construct of psychopathy, making it an important construct that must be taken into consideration when managing incarcerated individuals (Gacono, 2016;Gacono et al., 1995Gacono et al., , 1997Gacono & Meloy, 1994;Hare, 2003;Nicholls et al., 2005). Approximately, 15-25% of incarcerated inmates are psychopathic and they tend to commit more violent and nonviolent incidents in prison compared to non-psychopathic inmates (Guy et al., 2005;Hare, 2003;Walsh et al., 2007). ...
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 Aggression indices (Aggressive Movement [AG], Aggressive Content [AgC], Aggressive Past [AgPast], Aggressive Potential [AgPot], Sadomasochistic Aggression [SM]) were examined. Rorschach Aggression indices between female psychopathic (PCL-R total score ≥ 30; N = 84) and non-psychopathic female offenders (PCL-R total score ≤ 24; N = 39) were also compared. PCL-R total score was significantly correlated (p <.05) with AgC,
AgPast, AgPot, and SM and there were also significant correlations between the Aggression scores and PCL-R Factor/facet scores. The female psychopaths produced more AgC, AgPast, and AgPot responses than the non-psychopathic females. Rorschach aggression indices supported theory and suggested that the violence in psychopathic women stems from their identification with aggression and pervasive feelings of entitlement. Psychopathic women evidenced higher levels of these variables than the non-psychopathic offenders. The results add to the link between aggression and psychopathy as well as a better understanding of aggression in female offenders.
... However, rule-breaking and antisociality, especially in youth, may be seen as desirable as well, which is supported by evidence showing that bullies may have more popularity (de Bruyn et al. 2009) and more sexual partners (Provenzano et al. 2018). There is also evidence that individuals, including therapists, may be attracted to psychopathic men who have histories of violence and antisociality (Gacono et al. 1995;Leedom et al. 2012;Logan 2015). Thus, the role that the antisocial traits play in optimizing men for desirability in social and dating encounters may be complex. ...
Article link: https://rdcu.be/bP94r
The problems psychopathic individuals impose on society and in their interpersonal relationships can be held in stark contrast to reports of their appeal and sexual success in some of those relationships. In the current paper, we seek to contextualize this enigma by focusing on the interpersonal dynamics of psychopathic individuals in romantic encounters. We first formulate a plausible evolutionary function, the sexual exploitation hypothesis, that proposes psychopathy exhibits “special design” features for subverting female mate choice, facilitating the induction of favorable impressions and desire in prospective intimate relationships. We then test the hypothesis in two studies with university samples. Study 1 had young men assessed on psychopathy, social intelligence, and sociosexuality engage in a filmed dating interaction. Study 2 had young women view a subsample of the videos, rate them on desirability, and leave voice messages. Results show psychopathy was related to sociosexuality, specific factors of social intelligence, and generating higher desirability ratings from women after controlling for men’s physical attractiveness. Analyses involving comparisons of two men showed women’s ratings increased in favor of the more psychopathic man. Women’s voice pitch also changed, but only in response to different facets of psychopathy. The results provide preliminary support for the sexual exploitation hypothesis and suggest that more dynamic assessment of putative desirability in psychopathy may be required to capture its plausible special design features in prospective dating encounters.
... The contrary findings in the literature of the subject, reporting strong relationships between psychopathy and simulation (Gacono, Meloy, Sheppard, Speth, & Roske, 1995), stand in opposition to studies showing that effective faking tends to concern the phenomenon of faking good and revealing no relationship between psychopathic characteristics and faking bad effectively. ...
background
The aim of the study was to identify the patterns of two types of faking the results of a self-report study – faking good and faking bad – and to determine their relationships with the images obtained as a result of completing a ques- tionnaire in accordance with the standard instructions and therefore regarded as subjectively true. We investigated faking resulting from a short-term attitude stemming from the presence of a particular theme in the context of the items of a questionnaire assessing psychopathic personality.
participants and procedure
The results were collected in a population of participants (N = 173) of full legal age and without a criminal record. To examine the research problem, we used cluster analysis and Pearson’s r correlation coefficient. Calculations were performed in the R environment. The division of participants into homogeneous groups was based on the criterion of optimal breadth of the Silhouette index in accordance with the Partitioning Around Medoids (PAM) method.
results
Five separate patterns of faking good and three patterns of faking bad during self-report assessment were distinguished. Intergroup differences in traits and behaviors characteristic of psychopathy in the groups distinguished based on the pattern of faking bad were not found.
conclusions
It can be concluded that the levels of traits and behavior patterns defining psychopathic personality are related to a particular profile produced as a result of faking good. The present study does not show the existence of a rela- tionship between the level of psychopathy and any particular strategy of presenting oneself in a worse light.
... Limited research provides some support for an association between PCL-R-measured psychopathy and malingering. In a study comparing 18 successful insanity malingerers to 18 non-malingering insanity acquittees, Gacono, Meloy, Sheppard, Speth, and Roske (1995) found that the malingering group had significantly higher PCL-R Total, Factor 1, and Factor 2 scores than the non-malingerers (34.9 vs. 19.4, 14.8 vs. 6.3, and 15.8 vs. 10.6, p < 0.001, respectively). ...
The purpose of expert testimony is to provide an overview of the research literature in a way that helps jurors evaluate the credibility of a particular defendant’s disputed confession. We begin by discussing the admissibility of expert testimony and how judges decide whether to allow expert testimony at trial. We then review the substantial research literature on interrogations and confessions emphasizing its usefulness for helping jurors understand why a suspect might falsely admit to committing a crime. Areas covered include bases of police power, interrogation tactics and dynamics of the interrogation process, reshaping of the suspect’s decision process, vulnerability and resistance to false confession, interrogation-related regulatory decline, and suspect characteristics that raise the risk of a false confession (youth, mental impairment, mental illness, limited English proficiency, cultural differences, and being a member of a stereotyped minority group). We then examine research on juror beliefs and discuss how expert testimony educates jurors about what factors to consider when evaluating the credibility of a confession. Finally, we identify issues in need of further exploration. Although much is known about interrogation techniques and the conditions that elevate the risk of false confessions, researchers should explore issues of concern to the jurors who must evaluate a defendant’s confession.
... Limited research provides some support for an association between PCL-R-measured psychopathy and malingering. In a study comparing 18 successful insanity malingerers to 18 non-malingering insanity acquittees, Gacono, Meloy, Sheppard, Speth, and Roske (1995) found that the malingering group had significantly higher PCL-R Total, Factor 1, and Factor 2 scores than the non-malingerers (34.9 vs. 19.4, 14.8 vs. 6.3, and 15.8 vs. 10.6, p < 0.001, respectively). ...
The Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) assesses psychopathic characteristics in correctional and forensic psychiatric populations. Due to a well-developed body of empirical research suggesting an association between psychopathy and future dangerousness, the PCL-R is used to assess psychopathy and evaluate future risk in numerous legal contexts. Although recent case law surveys indicate that the PCL-R is occasionally misused in legal settings, the admissibility of the PCL-R is rarely questioned. Yet, the PCL-R may not meet the evidentiary standards for admissibility of evidence. This chapter reviews the scientific literature on the PCL-R to examine whether it satisfies the Federal Rules of Evidence (FRE) test for the admissibility of evidence. We considered three types of evaluations for which the PCL-R or the corresponding youth version, PCL: YV, are used and for which the PCL-R has been rigorously researched: capital sentencing, juvenile transfer, and sexually violent predator (SVP) commitment. Findings supported the probative value of the PCL-R for recidivism in juvenile transfer, long-term sexual recidivism in SVP commitment, and malingering in capital sentencing. Findings did not support probative value of the PCL-R for treatment amenability in juvenile transfer, short-term sexual recidivism for SVP commitment, or for institutional violence in capital sentencing.
... It has also been stated by various researchers that malingering behavior, frequently encountered at forensic psychiatry clinics, is related to the personality pattern of the offenders, in particular, to antisocial personality structure (Edens et al. 2007, Palermo et al. 1996, Gacono et al. 1995. As a result of the studies carried out on the prisoners, it was discovered that the rate of malingering was 32-66.5% (Mc Dermott and Sokolov 2009, James and Glaze 2006, Pollock et al. 1997, Walters et al. 1988). ...
Objective:
The study is done to investigate the predictive variables of malingering among arrested/convicted cases and the clinical characteristics of malingerers.
Method:
The study includes 70 arrested/convicted male cases internalized for their treatment. Aform to collect clinical or sociodemografic data, Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Disorders (SCID I), Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R (SCID II), Symptom Check-list (SCL-90-R) and Rey Memory Test (RMT) are applied. Two independent psychiatrists, without being part of the study diagnosed malingering.
Results:
Arrested cases reported mostly psychotic like and convicted cases mostly depression like symptoms. RMT is helpful by malingering and SCL-90-R psychotic symptom and paranoid symptom subscale scores were both correlated negatively when compared to the RMT scores by malingerers. Axis-I or Axis-II diagnosis were found out to be more predictive than other clinical variables to determine malingering.
Conclusion:
This study indicate that clinicians have to take malingering into account especially by arrested and convicted cases applied for treatment and they have to be careful by doing the differential diagnosis. Large sample studies conducted with arrested and convicted cases and surveys by grouping cases according to the expertise and treatment services may provide additional data related to malingering.
... High psychopathy scores have consistently been related to findings of criminal recidivism, including violent recidivism, and are viewed as a particularly intractable dispositional factor that should never be ignored (Bodholdt, Richards, & Gacono, 2000;Gacono, 2000). High PCL or PCL-R scores have been associated with a higher frequency and wider variety of offenses committed (Hare, 1991), higher frequency of violent offenses (Hare, 1991), higher re-offense rates (Hare, 1991), poor treatment response (Hughes, Hogue, Hollin, & Champion, 1997;Ogloff, Wong, & Greenwood, 1990;Rice, Harris, & Cormier, 1992), and more serious and persistent institutional misbehavior (Gacono, Meloy, Sheppard, Speth, & Roske, 1995;Gacono, Meloy, Speth, & Roske, 1997;Heilbrun et al., 1998). PCL-R high-scorers are also less likely to benefit from treatment, and, when in treatment, are likely to disrupt the milieu and/or terminate (drop out or get dismissed) prematurely. ...
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 assessment practice. The ability to integrate the nomothetic strengths of the PCL-R with the idiographic potential of the Rorschach allows for conclusions to be refined into nuanced person-context interactions most useful in areas such as risk assessment, forming diagnostic impressions, and determining treatability. A case example involving an incarcerated antisocial male with a history of exclusively affective violence is presented.
... Les synthèses de Bjorkly (80,81) ne soutiennent pas non plus un tel rapprochement. Parmi les troubles de la personnalité, la psychopathie s'est avéré le syndrome le plus associé à la violence en milieu carcéral (82)(83)(84)(85)(86)(87)(88). Rappelons que le diagnostic de "psychopathie" est plus pertinent et plus valide que celui de "personnalité antisociale" encore utilisé dans le Manuel diagnostique et statistique des troubles mentaux (DSM-IV ; 89). ...
... The differences between the disorders are also reflected in varying base rates (Hare, 2003; 75% of prison inmates with DSM ASPD, compared to a rate of only 20-25% PCL-R or PCL: YV identified psychopaths). Compared to non-psychopathic ASPDs, primary psychopaths (PCL-R > 30) begin offending earlier, commit more offenses ( Forth et al., 1990;Hare, 2003;Rice & Harris, 1995), commit more violent offenses (even later into life; Rice et al., 1992;Hemphill, Hare, & Wong, 1998), participate in more problematic behaviors when incarcerated ( Forth et al., 1991;Hare & McPherson, 1984;Gacono et al., 1995), and are less amenable to treatment (Ogloff et al., 1990;Sreenivasan et al., 2007;Rice et al., 1992;Hemphill, Hare, & Wong, 1998). ...
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 methodological criteria for the evaluation and interpretation of psychopathy/Rorschach literature were employed to provide a detailed review of the approach and procedure used by Wood et al. (2010). We identify and discuss a number of conceptual and methodological problems with the meta-analysis including confusion of the related but distinct terms of diagnosis and assessment, selection of studies, categorical versus dimensional interpretations of data, characterization of PCL-R and Rorschach findings, and meta-analytic methodology. Finally, recommendations for the essential components of well designed and implemented PCL-R and Rorschach studies are provided.
... Ses remords sont habituellement peu sincères et de courte durée, exprimés du bout des lèvres, et destinés à tromper les représentants du système répressif (police, justice). Les simulateurs hospitalisés ayant obtenu l'acquittement pour folie (insanity) ont plus fréquemment le diagnostic de TPAS ou de sadisme sexuel que les non-simulateurs [22] . Dans certaines circonstances (chef ou responsable prestigieux), le psychopathe peut s'identifier plus ou moins durablement à ce modèle idéal et mettre en jeu sa vie pour servir sa cause. ...
... The best-case scenario may involve a lengthy stay at the state hospital until the misclassification is corrected. One notorious type of forensic misclassification-malingered insanity acquitees-are well known for their poor, disruptive adjustment in state hospital settings (Gacono, Meloy, Sheppard, Speth, & Roske, 1995). ...
The reliability of forensic methods continues to be controversial.
Hawaii is unique in utilizing a three-panel system for evaluating
criminal defendants for competency to stand trial (CST), not
guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI), and postacquittal conditional
release (CR). The study examined independent forensic reports with
judicial determinations to assess examiner agreement and judicial
consensus. Examinees (N = 450) were defendants charged with
felony offenses. Three groups of examiners conducted independent
forensic mental health evaluations: community-based psychiatrists,
community-based psychologists, and psychologists employed by the
Courts & Corrections branch of the Hawaii Department of Health.
Five classes of reliability estimators were examined in a noncrossed
data measurement design. The study examined field reliability
of CST, NGRI, and CR as operationalized psycholegal constructs.
Overall, findings revealed wide variability in examiner consensus
and agreement between examiners and judges, depending on type
of examination. Factors associated with examiner disagreement
are discussed. Findings are similar to field reliability for other types
of complex decision making. Procedural standardization, application
of structured professional methods, use for forensic assessment
instruments, and de-bias assessment are recommended to improve
the quality of forensic mental health opinions.
... These quotations imply that psychopathic individuals are either unable or unwilling to present themselves accurately, ostensibly because they are prone to response distortions stemming from inflated self-concept, lack of insight, dishonesty, or all three. In addition to clinical speculation, research suggests that markedly psychopathic individuals are more prone to exaggerate or falsify their symptoms than are their less psychopathic counterparts (Gacono, Meloy, Sheppard, Speth, & Roske, 1995), even when there is no clear motivation to do so (Ekman, 1993). ...
Given that psychopathy is associated with narcissism, lack of insight, and pathological lying, the assumption that the validity of self-report psychopathy measures is compromised by response distortion has been widespread. We examined the statistical effects (moderation, suppression) of response distortion on the validity of self-report psychopathy measures in the statistical prediction of theoretically relevant external criteria (i.e., interview measures, laboratory tasks) in a large sample of offenders (N = 1,661). We conducted 378 moderation and 378 suppression analyses to examine the response distortion hypothesis. The substantial majority of analyses (97% moderation, 83% suppression) offered no support for this hypothesis. Nevertheless, suppression analyses revealed consistent evidence that controlling for response distortion slightly increased the relations between the fearless dominance and coldheartedness features of psychopathy and maladaptive outcomes. Our findings are largely inconsistent with the popular notion that the validity of self-report psychopathy measures is markedly diminished by response distortion. Further research is necessary to determine whether these findings generalize to other populations or contexts. (PsycINFO Database Record
(c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).
... They are also more likely to have a history of murder or rape, a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder or sexual sadism, and greater levels of psychopathy. 223 Malingering defendants may present themselves as doubly blameless within the context of their feigned illness. In such cases, the defendant's version of the offense may demonstrate what is called a double denial of responsibility. ...
... • are at high risk for problematic and disruptive behavior while in treatment (Gacono, Meloy, Sheppard, Speth, & Roske, 1995;Gacono, Meloy, Speth, & Roske, 1997;Young, Justice, Erdberg, & Gacono, 2000). ...
The assessment of antisocial and psychopathic personalities presents special challenges for the forensic evaluator. This chapter emphasizes use of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), Rorschach, and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) for a comprehensive evaluation of these patients. These measures lend incremental validity to understanding these difficult patients, especially when combined with testing of intelligence and cognitive functioning. Integrating data from multiple domains is essential to answering the psycholegal and forensic treatment questions surrounding the antisocial and psychopathic patient. The forensically trained clinical psychologist is best suited to assess psychopathy, a task that historically has been overlooked or avoided in traditional mental health settings.
... Finally, the fourth criterion, the presence of APD, has received mixed support as an indicator of malingering (APA, 2000b). Mixed findings have been reported with regard to the rates of APD among bona fide patients and malingerers in forensic settings (Gacono, Meloy, Sheppard, Speth, & Roske, 1995;Hinojosa, 1993;Lewis, Simcox, & Berry, 2002;Pollock et al., 1997;Rogers, 1990a). Furthermore, persons with severe psychopathic characteristics or APD have not been more capable or successful in malingering (Edens, Buffington, & Tomicic, 2000;Poythress, Edens, & Watkins, 2001;Rogers, Kropp, Bagby, & Dickens, 1992). ...
... 7 Deze resultaten vertonen sterke gelijkenis met onderzoeksbevindingen uit het buitenland (o.a. Hill, Rogers, & Bickford, 1996;Gacono, Meloy, Sheppard, Speth, & Roske, 1995;Moltó, Poy, & Torrubia, 2000;Rice et al., 1992), en wijzen erop dat psychopaten een moeilijk hanteerbare en behandelbare groep forensisch psychiatrische patiënten vormen. Gezien hun specifieke affectieve en cognitieve kenmerken vereisen zij een daarop afgestemde behandelmethodiek, die op dit moment door Wong en Hare wordt ontwikkeld (Wong, 2000) en onder andere op speciale afdelingen voor psychopaten in Britse gevangenissen zal worden getoetst. ...
... More relevant for our purposes is their use of deception/manipulation in the forensic context, where the explicit intent is to mislead the system. For example, psychopaths are more likely than other forensic patients to feign mental illness and to engage in several forms of deception during insanity evaluations (Gacono, Meloy, Sheppard, Speth, & Roske, 1995; Rogers, Salekin, Sewell, Goldstein, & Leonard, 1998). Gacono and colleagues (1995) reported that almost half of the malingering psychopathic patients they had examined were involved in a sexual relationship with a female staff member. ...
This study investigated the effects of psychopathy on homicidal postoffense behavior, denying the charges at court, appealing the lower court conviction, and final sentencing. A sample of 546 offenders prosecuted for a homicide and convicted in Finland during the 1995—2004 period was examined. Their postoffense behavior, self-reported reasons for the killing, charges, sentences, and psychopathic traits, as measured by the Psychopathy Checklist—Revised, were coded from official file information. Offenders with high scores were more likely than others to leave the crime scene without informing anyone of the killing, to deny the charges, to be convicted for involuntary manslaughter rather than manslaughter or murder, and to receive permission from the Supreme Court to appeal their lower court sentence. Given the risk that psychopathic offenders pose for violent crime, the finding that they are able to manipulate the criminal justice system is cause for concern.
... e psychiatrist has the opportunity to see whether the alleged symptoms are consistent with contemporaneous psychological testing. Several clues can assist the psychiatrist in the detection of fraudulent insanity defenses (seeTable 8). A psychotic explanation for a crime should be questioned if the crime fits a prior pattern of criminal convictions. Gacono et al. (1995) compared legitimate insanity acquittees with individuals who had successfully malingered insanity. They found that malingerers were significantly more likely to have a history of murder or rape, carry a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder or sexual sadism, and produce greater PCL-R factor 1, factor 2, and total scores than insa ...
The insanity defense has been described as a symbol of the relationship between law and psychiatry (Stone, 1984b). As such, it has always been the subject of intense legal and public scrutiny, despite the fact that it is infrequently raised and seldom successful. Forensic psychiatrists are often depended upon by the criminal justice system to provide these evaluations, which require a high degree of training and expertise. In 2002, the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law published it's Practice Guideline for Forensic Psychiatric Evaluation of Defendants Raising the Insanity Defense (AAPL, 2002). While noting that any attempt to promulgate guidelines will be limited by evolving legal doctrine and psychiatric science, the intent of the guidelines was to describe ''acceptable forensic psychiatric practices.''
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 rely on our extensive PCL-R research and clinical experience in discussing gender differences among psychopaths. Although males show a malignant narcissistic style, the female variant is characterized by a malevolent type of hysteria (Cunliffe & Gacono, 2005, 2008; Gacono & Meloy, 1994; Smith, Gacono, & Cunliffe, 2018). Gender differences are highlighted and guidelines for the assessment of psychopathic and nonpsychopathic female offenders are provided.
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, theory, assessment, and treatment. We discuss the range of common misconceptions and misinformation that permeates the female offender literature. Finally, we conclude with ten myths about female offenders and offer guidelines for identifying bias and how to avoid it.
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 endeavor. Diagnosis and assessment are essential to guiding interventions and managing the antisocial woman’s distinctive psychodynamics (Gacono, Nieberding, Owen, Rubel, & Bodholdt, 2001; see Chapters 3 and 4Chapter 3Chapter 4). In this chapter, we discuss essential clinical issues, a conceptual model of female psychopaths, management versus treatment, a treatment process including managing transference/countertransference, and effective treatment interventions. We conclude by offering a case example of the use of the assessment process in treating Anna, an incarcerated non-psychopathic woman.
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 tarnished that cornerstone. Not surprisingly, the movement away from proficiency in psychological assessment has led to a decline in the need for psychologists. In this chapter, we discuss these harmful trends, define psychological assessment, offer a model for assessing female offenders, and provide examples of how record review, clinical interview, the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI), and Rorschach Inkblot test can be useful with female offenders. We discuss the interpersonal aspects of the assessment process, evaluate gender specific patterns for several PCL-R criteria (also see Appendices A & B), and provide caveats for assessing female offenders. We conclude with a case study.
This chapter looks at three specific populations that are frequently placed on some type of conditional release: defendants found guilty and placed on probation or paroled from prison; individuals adjudicated not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI) and placed on conditional release in the community; and individuals convicted of sex offenses and committed under sexually violent predator laws for their respective states or the federal government in the U.S. It presents information on specific legal cases addressing aspects of conditional release and debates how the construct of psychopathy may or may not apply for each of these three different categories of conditional release, with a focus on psychopathy checklist‐revised. The chapter provides a theoretical discussion focusing on the relevancy or irrelevancy of psychopathy to conditional release and how to most appropriately communicate risk findings. It considers only a psychopathy score among a host of other factors for each type of conditional release.
This chapter describes outpatient treatment, management, and supervision programs for psychopathy (e.g., forensic outpatient clinics, probation, and parole programs), including special problems and interventions for substance abusers and sexual offenders with psychopathy. It focuses on psychological interventions, especially cognitive‐behavioral therapy and community‐based programs. The chapter focuses on the assessment, treatment, and monitoring of adult, male criminal offenders with psychopathic symptoms in outpatient and community settings, in contrast to institutionalized inpatient settings, such as prisons and forensic or other psychiatric hospitals. Based on a review of empirical studies, it outlines the assessment, psychotherapeutic and pharmacological treatment, and monitoring of psychopathic offenders in ambulatory settings. The chapter addresses special characteristics and needs of psychopathic individuals with comorbid substance abuse and other mental disorders as well as psychopathic sexual offenders. Recidivism as well as epidemiological studies suggest that impulsive antisocial behavior is more relevant for criminal recidivism and also less stable over time.
Purpose
To investigate the predictive value of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and features of ASPD (i.e., lack of remorse, blame externalization, and deceitfulness) for symptom exaggeration.
Methods
A sample of forensic psychiatric patients (N = 57) was asked to complete several self‐report instruments (measuring symptom exaggeration, lack of remorse, blame externalization, and offense minimization) and a semi‐structured interview about their most recent offense. To quantify patients’ deceitfulness, the information collected via the semi‐structured interview was checked against the official records of patient's offenses. Additionally, patient's mental disorders and the extent to which patients denied their delinquency were determined by gathering clinician's judgement on this matter from patient records. The relation between symptom exaggeration and the potential predictors of symptom exaggeration was examined through correlational analyses and cross‐tabulation of prevalence rates of symptom exaggeration with prevalence rates of the potential predictors.
Results
Antisocial personality disorder was not a useful predicator of symptom exaggeration. Also, patients who showed little regret for their offenses, or tended to blame their offenses on external factors, or minimized their delinquency, or were inaccurate when reporting their delinquency, had similar levels of symptom exaggeration as those without these tendencies.
Conclusions
Neither ASPD nor antisocial traits, including lack of remorse, blame externalization, and deceitfulness, were meaningfully related to symptom exaggeration and therefore should have no place in the assessment of symptom validity or the detection of malingering. On the contrary; focusing on antisocial traits as indicators of symptom exaggeration is likely to result in large portions of misclassifications.
This literature review suggests that autism spectrum disorders (ASD), attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and antisocial personality disorder/psychopathy (ASPD) represent masculine life strategies. The diagnostic criteria of ADHD overlap with ASD and ASPD, both of which are often diagnosed alongside of ADHD. Additionally, all three are mostly diagnosed in males and related to brain masculinity. Those with masculinized brains would distinguish between themselves by their optimal stimulation level (or risk tolerance), which results in different competitive outcomes. Individuals with the highest optimal stimulation levels reach increased fitness.
The chapter examines the salience of psychopathy among various offender groups. The chapter explores how psychopathy accommodates the general overlap of antisocial behaviors among diverse populations. Probably the greatest strength of psychopathy is its predictive validity across a range of behavioral outcomes. It has tremendous generality and can be used as the unifying causal construct to explain the comorbidity of antisocial behaviors and broad forms of psychopathology. Psychopathy has shown empirical value in predicting antisocial outcomes among diverse populations and subpopulations selected from community, clinical, and correctional samples. The notion of noncriminal or successful psychopath is also reviewed and sharply critiqued.
The Psychopathy Checklist–Revised (PCL-R) is an essential component of any assessment protocol within forensic and correctional settings. Both nomothetic and idiographic interpretations aid the clinician in screening and treatment planning. Whereas the PCL-R can be effective in identifying those who are at highest risk of disrupting treatment efforts and jeopardizing the safety of those around them, through item analysis, it also provides clues to the nonpsychopath’s unique treatment needs. Specific recommendations are offered regarding the implementation of the PCL-R for screening and treatment planning, and illustrative case examples are provided to enliven essential points.
Intimate RelationshipsParenthoodWorking with Psychopaths in a Clinical SettingManifestation of Psychopathy in Civil ProceedingsReferences
IntroductionThe Psychopath's Interpersonal BehaviorDeception and ManipulationThreat of ViolencePractical Tips for Interviewing Psychopathic IndividualsReferences
Spanish jurisprudence is frequently faced with the fact that in some expert reports appear terms like psychopath, antisocial Personality disorder, psychopathic personality, cruel psychopath, epileptoid psychopathy, sociopathy, etcetera. In this way, it's not infrequent that jurists (magistrates, judges, public prosecutors, lawyers) became disorientated with so much terminology which, despite all, they are nothing at all about synonym terms. Doctrine, on the other hand, dissents from the traditionally point maintained by the Jurisprudence that psychopaths are non-attributed individuals. Many penologists know very good psychological and psychiatric manuals and research studies on subject, and they are usually based on them to make some differences which apparently are fines. One of the controversies more extended is if the terms antisocial personality disorder and psychopathy are the same category. In the review of this Part II, it's also pretended to go deeply into and emphasize those fine differences, now that it's been proved repeatedly that both diagnosis categories, if it's of course true that they share some common features, they are neither the same concept nor involve the same consequences. It also examines the bitter controversy that exists regarding the frequent association between psychopathy and substance abuse, a controversy that seems to set its roots in the same terminological confusion between psychopathy and antisocial personality disorder. Finally, we review the literature about the criminality of psychopaths, with special reference to the case of both common criminals and the case of serial murderers and other violent criminals, without losing sight of the position that psychopaths currently have at a penological, doctrinal and jurisprudential level.
Undiagnosed malingering (symptom overreporting or fabrication) can endanger mental health staff. This review paper presents a systematic and empirically based framework to assess symptom overreporting and violence potential. The first half reviews three models of malingering and their implications for violence potential. The first model proposes that people who malinger are attempting to cope with major mental disorders or organic deficits. The violence potential of these often overlooked disorders is explained. The second model describes how some people with character disorders overreport psychological symptoms and use violence to manage interpersonal relationships. The third model proposes that people who malinger are attempting to get their needs met in complex situations. Mishandling these often desperate people can result in a dangerous situation. The second half of this article focuses on conducting evaluations with potential malingerers, including ethical issues, assessment techniques, and treatment recommendations. Public policy implications are also addressed.
This study examined whether psychopathic traits enabled faking on self-report inventories. Two hundred undergraduates completed a psychopathy measure under standard conditions prior to answering personality and validity scales under faking good, faking bad, and standard instructions. Given the deceptiveness of psychopaths, successful fakers were expected to score higher on psychopathic traits than respondents caught faking. Results showed that although successful and unsuccessful fakers did not differ on general psychopathy, respondents successful at faking good scored higher than unsuccessful fakers on factors of machiavellian egocentricity and blame externalization and lower on stress immunity.
In a retrospective study, the accuracy of various psychological tests in distinguishing between those who were diagnosed as malingerers and those who were diagnosed as mentally ill was examined. Specifically, information about the utility of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2), Structured Interview of Reported Symptoms (SIRS), M Test, the Atypical Presentation Scale (AP) and the Rey 15-Item Memory Test (RMT) was examined in 66 men who had been hospitalized as incompetent to stand trial. Overall, results support the use of psychological testing in the detection of malingering of psychotic symptoms. Practical guidance on how to utilize psychological tests within the overall evaluation is provided.
Criminal defendants with antisocial personality disorder (APD), those with a personality disorder other than APD (OPD) and those without a personality disorder (NoPD) were compared on validated measures of malingering. The APD group scored significantly higher on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory- 2(MMPI-2) F, Fp, and F-K scales and the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) Negative Impression Scale. A greater proportion of those in the APD group exceeded accepted cutoff scores on the Structured Interview of Reported Symptoms (SIRS) scale. While this finding supports the DSM-IV association between APD and malingering, the predictive utility of APD in discriminating malingerers from honest responders was poor, with many with APD not attempting to malinger and those without APD presenting potentially malingered profiles.
Recent studies have found mixed results for the ability of the PCL:SV to predict in-prison violence. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the PCL:SV for predicting in-prison violence in Switzerland. Method: PCL:SV scores were assessed from a sample of 114 prisoners sentenced to at least 10 months in prison for sexual or violent offenses. Results: Significant effect sizes for verbal aggressive behavior were found for sexual offenders. No significant results were found in a sample of violent offenders. No significant results were found for physical violence in any subgroup. Discussion: The results suggest only a limited degree of accuracy for the PCL:SV in predicting intramural aggressive behavior for the sample used in this study.
The present study investigated the relationship between criminal psychopathy and violent behavior. Groups were defined according to psychopathy ratings (Hare's Psychopathy Checklist) and violence. Psychopaths scored higher than nonpsychopaths on measures of impulsiveness and aggressiveness, and they were more likely than other inmates to behave aggressively, to have committed more serious past offenses, to have used weapons, threats and instrumental aggression, and to have suffered physical abuse as a child. When presented with hypothetical situations that involved a frustrating outcome, psychopaths reported that they would be more angry than nonpsychopaths, and they attributed greater hostile intent to others. Violent psychopaths were seen as qualitatively different than violent nonpsychopaths in their use of violence, yet they did not differ in terms of the seriousness of their index offense.
This study investigates the relationship between psychopathy and deviant sexual arousal in a sample of 65 sexual offenders, with approximately equal numbers of rapists and child molesters. Psychopathy, measured by the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised and phallometric indexes of deviant sexual arousal were significantly correlated, r(63) =.28, p <. 02. Differentiating between rapists, extrafamilial pedophiles, and incest offenders revealed that this relationship, however, was most apparent for extrafamilial child molesters, somewhat less for rapists, and not at all for incest offenders. The incidence of psychopathy was substantially lower than previous rates in incarcerated samples and a psychiatric sample of sexual offenders. Rapists had higher psychopathy ratings than child molesters, approaching statistical significance t(60) = -1.88, p < .07.
A simulation design with multiple contrast groups was used to test the effectiveness of two instruments, the Structured Interview of Reported Symptoms (SIRS) and the Georgia Court Competency Test—Mississippi State Hospital (GCCT-MSH) in detecting malingering of competency to stand trial. Thirty simulators were compared with 23 incompetent defendants, 25 competent defendants, 30 offender controls, and 7 suspected malingerers on both instruments. Results revealed that the simulators and suspected malingerers scored significantly higher on all of the SIRS primary scales and significantly lower on the GCCT-MSH than the three comparison groups. The SIRS had an overall hit rate of 97.8% using three or more primary scales as the criterion for malingering. Information concerning the simulator's strategies of deception is presented.
This is an uncontrolled, descriptive study of 30 sexually sadistic criminals. All were men, and all intentionally tortured their victims in order to arouse themselves. Their crimes often involved careful planning, the selection of strangers as victims, approaching the victim under a pretext, participation of a partner, beating victims, restraining victims and holding them captive, sexual bondage, anal rape, forced fellatio, vaginal rape, foreign object penetration, telling victims to speak particular words in a degrading manner, murder or serial killings (most often by strangulation), concealing victims' corpses, recording offenses, and keeping personal items belonging to victims.
Historically, the use of the insanity defense has been limited although not exclusively to those with a psychotic mental disorder at the time of the crime. Occasionally, an insanity acquittee may primarily suffer from a personality disorder at the time of commitment to the psychiatric hospital. Such examples can include someone with a personality disorder who malingers psychosis and legal insanity or who at the time of the crime may have been suffering from a drug-induced or brief reactive psychosis. One such case will be presented as well as dilemmas created for the clinician and forensic evaluator. In addition, pertinent medical and psychological literature and legal case precedents will be discussed. Finally, a proposed guideline for the treatment and evaluation of the personality-disordered insanity acquittee will be offered, focusing specifically on the aspects of the personality disorder that contribute to the individual's dangerousness.
This landmark book on the psychodynamics of psychopathy is divided into four sections. Part I, "Origins," explores the history of the dynamic understanding of psychopathy and its psychobiological foundations. It offers an object-relational developmental theory to explain the gensis of psychopathy. Part II, "Structure and Dynamics," probes the conscious and unconscious mind of the psychopath along the dimensions of affective experience and defensive operations. . . . "Violence, Psychosis, and Related States," Part III, develops a differential model of human aggression as either affective or predatory and hypothesizes that the psychopathic process is partucarly suited to predatory violence. . . . The last section, "Treatment," focuses on resistances encountered in the patient and countertransference threats to successful treatment.
Clinicians will find this book helpful because it goes beyond description of behavior into the structure and functioning of the psychopathic mind. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
We propose the addition of four aggressive indices for Rorschach scoring: aggressive content, aggressive potential, aggressive past, and sado-masochism scores. Interrater agreement is presented and ranges from 92-100%. Nomothetic comparisons are made between groups with higher base rates for violence with mixed results, although the sado-masochism frequency was significantly higher in severe psychopaths than in moderate psychopaths. Idiographic use of the aggression indices is emphasized, with a particular focus upon inferring the quality, intensity, and directionality of intrapsychic aggression in relation to self and object representations.
This research investigates the validity of the stereotype of insanity defendants as malingerers by analyzing the proportions of insanity defendants who exaggerate psychopathology at the pre- and postacquittal stages of the legal process and by assessing the severity of psychopathology among preacquittal defendants. We administered the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) to 49 insanity defendants evaluated for fitness to stand trial and/or sanity at the time of the alleged crime and to 52 subjects previously found not guilty by reason of insanity. Results indicated: (a) Contrary to the stereotype, a minority (14% to 41%) of insanity defendants clearly malingered, whereas 22% to 39% showed evidence of minimizing psychopathology. (b) Eighty-one percent of these subjects had MMPI profiles suggestive of psychosis, but relatively few showed evidence of primarily antisocial behavior. Thus, the malingering stereotype may be application to only a minority of insanity defendants and is specifically inapplicable to a substantial proportion who minimized psychopathology or showed evidence of psychosis consistent with the claim of insanity.
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