On the Relevance of the Concept of the Psychopath (From Broadmoor Psychology Department's 21st Birthday - BPS London Conference, P 12-25, P 1982, D A Black, ed. - See NCJ-86069)

• NCJ Number: 86070
• Author(s): R Blackburn
• Date Published: 1982
• Length: 14 pages
• Sale Source: British Psychological Soc
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

Empirical data demonstrate that psychopathy is a meaningful descriptive concept that distinguishes subgroups of offenders, although psychopaths themselves are not a homogenous group; this facilitates identifying appropriate therapies for this offender subgroup.

Abstract

The usefulness of the concept of psychopath depends on whether research can identify persons with common deviant traits in sufficient numbers to consider them a group that can be most effectively approached with certain types of therapy. In an effort to determine if such a group exists, data were obtained on 12 inventory measures in a taxonomic study of 79 patients falling in the British Mental Health Act category of psychopathic disorder, all of the patients clinically diagnosed as having some type of personality disorder. A cluster analysis of the personality profiles yielded four types which classified 80 percent of the sample. The first type was distinguished by high scores on scales measuring undersocialization, impulsivity, aggression, and hostility, while having relatively low scores on scales related to anxiety and other emotional problems. These characteristics resemble those proposed by the McCords to exemplify the psychopath; therefore, this type provides empirical justification for designating a class of psychopathic persons. The second type, however, is also undersocialized, impulsive, and aggressive while differing from the first group in showing high levels of emotional disturbance and social withdrawal. This appears to justify the distinction between the primary psychopath, who is free from anxiety or guilt, and the secondary psychopath, who experiences anxiety and emotional conflict. The other two types, which show little resemblance to the descriptions of psychopathic personality in the literature, are characterized by denial of psychological problems and an absence of impulsive or aggressive tendencies (one group) and being unaggressive and prone to depression and social withdrawal (other group). The research literature indicates that psychopaths are unaffected by verbal therapies, social skills training, or the influence of social reinforcers, while seeming to be responsive to both positive and negative material reinforcers, stimulating activities, and sociodrama. Tabular and graphic data and 41 references are provided.