NCJ Number
49236
Date Published
1974
Length
163 pages
Annotation
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VIOLENT BEHAVIOR AND PERSONALITY TRAITS IS EXPLORED IN A STUDY OF 193 MALE DRUG ABUSERS CONFINED AT THE CALIFORNIA REHABILITATION CENTER.
Abstract
DATA ON THE SUBJECTS' CRIMINAL BACKGROUNDS (ARREST RECORDS, COURT ACTIONS, PSYCHIATRIC AND MEDICAL INTERVIEW SUMMARIES, REPORTS BY CASEWORKERS, INTELLIGENCE TEST RESULTS, ETC.) WERE ANALYZED IN CONJUNCTION WITH MINNESOTA MULTIPHASIC PERSONALITY INVENTORY SCORES. FOUR DISTINCT PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILES WERE DRAWN FOR FOUR TYPES OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR: BODILY VIOLENT; POTENTIALLY BODILY VIOLENT; MATERIALLY VIOLENT; AND NONVIOLENT. THE BODILY VIOLENT SUBJECT MANIFESTED A HIGH DEGREE OF IRRITABILITY AND TENSION, EVIDENCE OF CONSTANT SOCIAL CONFLICT EXACERBATED BY CHRONIC LACK OF IMPULSE CONTROL, AND A FRAGILE FACADE OF WELL-BEING. THE POTENTIALLY BODILY VIOLENT SUBJECT EVIDENCED PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE COPING MECHANISMS AND WAS HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS AND INSECURE AND IRRATIONALLY DEFENSIVE AND EVASIVE. THE MATERIALLY VIOLENT SUBJECT WAS CLEARLY NEUROTIC, CONFUSED, AND WITHDRAWN, AND EVIDENCED LITTLE EGO STRENGTH. THE NONVIOLENT SUBJECT WAS HIGHLY PASSIVE, DEPENDENT, AND HELPLESS, MANIFESTING PSYCHOTIC THINKING PROCESSES THINLY OVERLAID WITH A FACADE OF WELL-BEING. IMPLICATIONS OF THESE DIFFERENCES FOR DIAGNOSIS, INSTITUTIONALIZATION, AND TREATMENT ARE SUGGESTED. A LITERATURE REVIEW, SUPPORTING DATA, AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)