This study investigated whether a defendant?s history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and/or personality disorder (PD) diagnosis affected juror decision-making in a child sexual abuse trial. The personality disorders in the study were borderline personality disorder (BPD) and antisocial personality disorder (APD). Participants were 186 college students who read a summary of the trial and then made various juror decisions. The defendant?s CSA history, alone or combined with PD diagnosis, did not affect guilt ratings or sentence recommendations, indicating that jurors did not automatically assume that a defendant who had been abused as a child was guilty (as an adult) of being an abuser. However, when the defendant had a PD diagnosis, there were higher guilt ratings than when there was no PD diagnosis. PD diagnosis was the best predictor of guilt ratings, suggesting that jurors perceive defendants more negatively if they have borderline or antisocial personality disorder.

Background and Aims: Executive dysfunction is pervasive in substance-dependent individuals (Verdejo-García, Bechara, Recknor, & Perez-Garcia, 2006). As many as four-fifths of individuals in treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs) have co-existing lifetime psychopathology. Executive function deficits are tied to markers of decreased quality of life including increases in negative life events (Green, Kern, Braff, & Mintz, 2000), maladaptive social functioning (Kurtz, Moberg, Ragland, Gur, & Gur, 2005) and worsened treatment outcomes (Czuchry & Dansereau, 2003). Despite evidence of executive dysfunction across several mental disorders, few studies investigate how the co-occurrence of psychopathologies in SUDs impacts executive functioning. Methods: Here, we compare measures of executive function (i.e., the Iowa Gambling Test, Letter Number Sequencing Test, Stroop Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Continuous Performance Test, Towers Test, and Delay Discounting Test) in individuals with a) substance use disorder, b) substance use disorder and co-occurring major depressive disorder, c) substance use disorder and co-occurring antisocial personality disorder, d) substance use disorder and co-occurring major depressive disorder and antisocial personality disorder and e) no substance use disorder or co-occurring psychopathology. Results: Regression models of respective executive function measure outcomes as a function of education, income, age, and group membership indicated that the Delay Discounting Test and Continuous Performance Test were the only significant overall models (F(4, 313) = 12.699, p < 0.001 and F(4, 307) = 2.659, p = 0.033, respectively). Conclusions: Overall the Delay Discounting Test and Continuous Performance Test were the most sensitive to differences between substance use and psychopathology profiles assessed. / Master of Science

Introdução: A psicopatia sempre foi associada a comportamentos imorais e frieza emocional, além de risco de reincidência criminal. Embora a frieza dos psicopatas seja bem estabelecida, não há consenso sobre o nível de discernimento moral desses indivíduos, existindo teorias propondo que eles não apresentam desenvolvimento moral adequado enquanto outras propõem que o que lhes falta é querer agir, não saber discernir o certo do errado. Já quando analisamos a relação entre essas três variáveis, psicopatia, imoralidade e frieza, os dados são ainda mais díspares, não existindo consenso sobre a necessidade ou não da presença de emoções para o amadurecimento moral. O estudo de sujeitos infratores encarcerados é interessante nesse contexto, uma vez que permite o controle de variáveis de confusão envolvidas nessa inter-relação, como influências ambientais, vivência criminal, grau de psicopatia, uso de drogas e QI. Em se tratando de jovens infratores, há ainda a vantagem de se estudar uma amostra homogênea quanto à idade. Objetivos: Verificar se existe correlação entre os níveis de maturidade moral e os graus de frieza emocional e de psicopatia, tomando por base uma população de jovens em medida sócio-educativa de internação na Fundação Casa. Adicionalmente, verificar a capacidade de previsão de reincidência da tradução brasileira do PCL-R. Esperou-se correlação inversa significante entre o escore da Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R) e reatividade autonômica e nível de julgamento moral. Quanto a estas duas últimas variáveis, estabelecemos como hipótese a independência entre ambas. Acreditamos ainda que infratores reincidentes iriam diferir de primários no grau de psicopatia. Métodos: Trinta jovens em medida sócio-educativa foram submetidos a avaliação: a) do grau de psicopatia com a escala PCL-R, separando fator 1 (ligado às relações interpessoais e frieza) e fator 2 (ligado a estilo de vida criminal, comportamentos antissociais); b) do nível de maturidade moral com o Socio-moral Objective Measure (SROM-SF); c) da frieza emocional, refletida na resposta psicofisiológica aferida pela atividade elétrica da pele (AEP) diante de estímulos visuais eliciadores de respostas afetivas provenientes do International Affective Picture System (IAPS). Resultados: Encontrou-se relação direta entre o fator 1 do PCL-R e a latência de resposta autonômica (teste de Spearman, p<0,005), e entre o fator 2 e o maior controle vagal (teste de Spearman, p<0,005). Não houve correlação entre a maturidade moral e o nível de psicopatia (teste de Spearman, p>0,05) ou frieza emocional (teste de Spearman, p>0,05). Os escores no PCL-R diferenciaram as populações de reincidentes e primários (teste t, p=0,0006). Conclusões: Conforme previsto, houve relação significativa entre o grau de psicopatia e a frieza emocional psicofisiologicamente aferida pela AEP. Além disso, a previsão de independência entre AEP e julgamento moral também se confirmou. Diferentemente da hipótese inicial, o grau de psicopatia não apresentou correlação com o nível de julgamento moral. Adicionalmente, verificou-se que a tradução brasileira do PCL-R demonstrou consistência ao prever a reincidência criminal na amostra estudada. / Background: Psychopathy has always been associated with immoral behavior and callousness. Although the latter characteristic is well established for psychopaths, there is no consensus regarding the level of moral discernment of these individuals: some theories suggest that they lack appropriate moral development, whilst others, that they lack only the willing to act properly. Regarding the relationship of these three variables - psychopathy, immorality and callousness - data is even less consistent. Thus, it is important to investigate incarcerated offenders, since studies with such population allow one to control for variables that may confound this inter-relationship, such as environmental influences, criminal experience, psychopathy, drug use and IQ. The investigation of juvenile offenders has additional advantages, as they form a homogeneous sample regarding age. Objectives: To verify the correlation between level of moral judgment, callousness and psychopathy in juvenile offenders incarcerated in Fundação Casa. We also wished to verify the risk prediction of the Brazilian version of the Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R). We expected to find inverse correlations between PCL-R scores and electrodermal activity and moral judgment level. Regarding the last two variables, we expected that they should be independent from each other. Finally, we expected that primary offenders would be different from recidivist ones. Methods: Thirty incarcerated young offenders were evaluated regarding: a) the degree of psychopathy according with scores on the scale PCL-R, split between factor 1 (which reflects interpersonal relationships and coldness) and factor 2 (reflecting criminal lifestyle, antisocial behaviors), b) level of moral judgment level as assessed with the Socio-moral Objective Measure-Short Form (SROM-SF), c) emotional callousness as measured through psychophysiological responses (electrodermal activity EDA) to visual stimuli from the International Affective Pictures System (IAPS). Results: We found a direct relationship between factor 1 of the PCL-R and latency of EDA response (Spearman test, p<0,005), and between factor 2 and greater vagal control (Spearman test, p<0,005). No significant relationship was found between moral maturity and level of psychopathy or callousness (Spearman test, p>0,05). PCL-R scores were able to distinguish primary from recidivist offenders (t test, p=0,0006). Conclusions: As predicted, there was a significant correlation between psychopathy levels and callousness as measured through EDA. Moreover, we also confirmed the prediction that there would be no relationship between EDA and moral judgment. However, different from what we expected, psychopathy level did not show any significant relationship with moral judgment. Additionally, it was found that the Brazilian version of the PCL-R demonstrated consistency in predicting recidivism in the sample studied.

Background. Adolescent antisocial behaviors are versatile in terms of their onset, severity, pervasiveness, continuity, and developmental outcomes. A substantial body of literature on developmental pathway of antisocial behaviors indicates that meaningful subtypes exist within these heterogeneous antisocial behaviors, rendering important implications to their etiology, causal mechanism and intervention. This study tests a taxonomy of antisocial behavior by examining whether different offending groups can be distinguished by their different group features including background risks and external correlates. First, two broad offending groups, i.e., the early-onset group and the adolescent-onset group were identified in a clinical sample of 118 adjudicated male adolescents based on age of onset of symptoms of Conduct Disorder. Further, two distinct subtypes, i.e. antisocial behavior associated with symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and antisocial behavior associated with callous-unemotional traits ii (CD traits), a defining feature of psychopathy, were hypothesized to coexist within the broad early-onset offending group, based on two lines of recent studies indicating ADHD and CD traits as important correlates of antisocial behaviors. These two subgroups were identified within the sample in this current study. / Conclusion. Different offending groups could be discerned by their distinctive associated group risks and deficits, giving evidence to different developmental pathways to antisocial behaviors. Implications to understanding and intervention of antisocial behaviors were discussed. / Method. Data were collected from 118 adjudicated male adolescents from a centralized probation facility in Hong Kong and 63 non-delinquent male control subjects from mainstream secondary schools, all aged between 12 and 17. Group comparisons and multinominal logistic regression were performed to test whether these offending groups could be distinguished by different background risks and deficits including variables pertaining to cognitive processes, family, parenting, and deviant peers, etc. / Results. The early-onset offending group could be differentiated from the adolescent-onset offending group by their association with adolescent adjustment iii difficulties, more background risks, ADHD diagnosis, and callous unemotional traits. The two early-onset subgroups, early-onset ADHD and early-onset CU traits group, shared similarities of having severer delinquency and poorer adolescent adjustment, but demonstrated differences in terms of disinhibitory processes. / Law, Yuen Wah Sonya. / Adviser: Patrick Wing-leung Leung. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 73-04, Section: B, page: . / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 265-289). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [201-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese; appendix in Chinese.

Introdução: A psicopatia sempre foi associada a comportamentos imorais e frieza emocional, além de risco de reincidência criminal. Embora a frieza dos psicopatas seja bem estabelecida, não há consenso sobre o nível de discernimento moral desses indivíduos, existindo teorias propondo que eles não apresentam desenvolvimento moral adequado enquanto outras propõem que o que lhes falta é querer agir, não saber discernir o certo do errado. Já quando analisamos a relação entre essas três variáveis, psicopatia, imoralidade e frieza, os dados são ainda mais díspares, não existindo consenso sobre a necessidade ou não da presença de emoções para o amadurecimento moral. O estudo de sujeitos infratores encarcerados é interessante nesse contexto, uma vez que permite o controle de variáveis de confusão envolvidas nessa inter-relação, como influências ambientais, vivência criminal, grau de psicopatia, uso de drogas e QI. Em se tratando de jovens infratores, há ainda a vantagem de se estudar uma amostra homogênea quanto à idade. Objetivos: Verificar se existe correlação entre os níveis de maturidade moral e os graus de frieza emocional e de psicopatia, tomando por base uma população de jovens em medida sócio-educativa de internação na Fundação Casa. Adicionalmente, verificar a capacidade de previsão de reincidência da tradução brasileira do PCL-R. Esperou-se correlação inversa significante entre o escore da Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R) e reatividade autonômica e nível de julgamento moral. Quanto a estas duas últimas variáveis, estabelecemos como hipótese a independência entre ambas. Acreditamos ainda que infratores reincidentes iriam diferir de primários no grau de psicopatia. Métodos: Trinta jovens em medida sócio-educativa foram submetidos a avaliação: a) do grau de psicopatia com a escala PCL-R, separando fator 1 (ligado às relações interpessoais e frieza) e fator 2 (ligado a estilo de vida criminal, comportamentos antissociais); b) do nível de maturidade moral com o Socio-moral Objective Measure (SROM-SF); c) da frieza emocional, refletida na resposta psicofisiológica aferida pela atividade elétrica da pele (AEP) diante de estímulos visuais eliciadores de respostas afetivas provenientes do International Affective Picture System (IAPS). Resultados: Encontrou-se relação direta entre o fator 1 do PCL-R e a latência de resposta autonômica (teste de Spearman, p<0,005), e entre o fator 2 e o maior controle vagal (teste de Spearman, p<0,005). Não houve correlação entre a maturidade moral e o nível de psicopatia (teste de Spearman, p>0,05) ou frieza emocional (teste de Spearman, p>0,05). Os escores no PCL-R diferenciaram as populações de reincidentes e primários (teste t, p=0,0006). Conclusões: Conforme previsto, houve relação significativa entre o grau de psicopatia e a frieza emocional psicofisiologicamente aferida pela AEP. Além disso, a previsão de independência entre AEP e julgamento moral também se confirmou. Diferentemente da hipótese inicial, o grau de psicopatia não apresentou correlação com o nível de julgamento moral. Adicionalmente, verificou-se que a tradução brasileira do PCL-R demonstrou consistência ao prever a reincidência criminal na amostra estudada. / Background: Psychopathy has always been associated with immoral behavior and callousness. Although the latter characteristic is well established for psychopaths, there is no consensus regarding the level of moral discernment of these individuals: some theories suggest that they lack appropriate moral development, whilst others, that they lack only the willing to act properly. Regarding the relationship of these three variables - psychopathy, immorality and callousness - data is even less consistent. Thus, it is important to investigate incarcerated offenders, since studies with such population allow one to control for variables that may confound this inter-relationship, such as environmental influences, criminal experience, psychopathy, drug use and IQ. The investigation of juvenile offenders has additional advantages, as they form a homogeneous sample regarding age. Objectives: To verify the correlation between level of moral judgment, callousness and psychopathy in juvenile offenders incarcerated in Fundação Casa. We also wished to verify the risk prediction of the Brazilian version of the Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R). We expected to find inverse correlations between PCL-R scores and electrodermal activity and moral judgment level. Regarding the last two variables, we expected that they should be independent from each other. Finally, we expected that primary offenders would be different from recidivist ones. Methods: Thirty incarcerated young offenders were evaluated regarding: a) the degree of psychopathy according with scores on the scale PCL-R, split between factor 1 (which reflects interpersonal relationships and coldness) and factor 2 (reflecting criminal lifestyle, antisocial behaviors), b) level of moral judgment level as assessed with the Socio-moral Objective Measure-Short Form (SROM-SF), c) emotional callousness as measured through psychophysiological responses (electrodermal activity EDA) to visual stimuli from the International Affective Pictures System (IAPS). Results: We found a direct relationship between factor 1 of the PCL-R and latency of EDA response (Spearman test, p<0,005), and between factor 2 and greater vagal control (Spearman test, p<0,005). No significant relationship was found between moral maturity and level of psychopathy or callousness (Spearman test, p>0,05). PCL-R scores were able to distinguish primary from recidivist offenders (t test, p=0,0006). Conclusions: As predicted, there was a significant correlation between psychopathy levels and callousness as measured through EDA. Moreover, we also confirmed the prediction that there would be no relationship between EDA and moral judgment. However, different from what we expected, psychopathy level did not show any significant relationship with moral judgment. Additionally, it was found that the Brazilian version of the PCL-R demonstrated consistency in predicting recidivism in the sample studied.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2006. / Title from title page screen, viewed on April 22, 2007. Dissertation Committee: Mark Swerdlik, Matthew Hesson-McInnis (co-chairs), Adena Meyers, Kathryn Hoff, Raymond Redick. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 102-113) and abstract. Also available in print.

When society is viewed in a social constructive manner, the social worker is as affected as the general population by the media and the image it portrays. A prejudice or bias social worker will not be as effective in his work as his intentions are. The purpose of this thesis was to discover if there are any visible cultural differences in the usage and description of the concept of psychopathy or a psychopath himself in the media, more specifically, daily newspapers. There are three American newspapers and three Swedish newspapers examined in this study. The study is based on a quantiative content analysis of articles published between 1st of January 2008 and 1st of July 2012. The collected data is categorized where the articles can fall under one or more of five available categories. Even though no clear results occurred, some interesting indications are visible between American newspapers and Swedish newspapers, but more so between different American newspapers. Psychopaths, people with an Antisocial Personality Disorder, are most frequently mentioned as criminals or maniacs/madmen in both countries with a modestly higher percentage for the United States of America. / När samhället blir sett ur ett socialkonstruktionistiskt perspektiv, blir socialarbetaren lika påverkad som den övriga populationen av den bild som media förmedlar och framställer. En fördomsfull eller partisk socialarbetare kommer inte att uppnå den effektivitet i sin profession som syftet med yrket innebär. Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka eller upptäcka om det finns några synliga kulturella skillnader i bruket och beskrivningen av psykopati som begrepp eller psykopaten som person i media, mer specifikt dagstidningar. I den här studien ingår tre amerikanska dagstidningar och tre svenska dagstidningar. Studien är baserad på en kvantitativ innehållsanalys av artiklar publicerade mellan 1:a januari 2008 och 1:a juli 2012. Den insamlade data är kategoriserad där varje artikel kan falla under en eller flera av fem förekommande kategorier. Även om det inte går att utläsa några tydliga resultat, föreligger indikationer som kan vara av intresse mellan amerikanska dagstidningar och svenska dagstidningar, men dessa är tydligare mellan de olika amerikanska dagstidningarna. Psykopater, människor som har en antisocial personlighetsstörning, beskrivs mestadels som kriminella eller galningar/dårar i båda ländernas dagstidningar med en viss högre procentuell representation vad gäller USA.

Kaip teigiama Statistikos departamento prie Lietuvos Respublikos Vyriausybės, Lietuvoje įkalinimo bausmę, pataisos namuose, atlieka 8000, už įvairius nusikaltimus nuteistų asmenų1. Toks pats, arba labai artimas tam skaičius buvo ir 2009 metais. Pasak, Euro stato2, kriminalinės statistikos duomenų bazės suvestinės sudaro 230 nuteistųjų, 100000 Lietuvos gyventojų. To paties šaltinio teigimu, pagal šį skaičių, Lietuva patenka į pirmą, didžiausią kalinių skaičių turinčių valstybių dešimtuką. Lietuvoje, kaip ir daugumoje postsovietinių šalių, laisvės atėmimas yra dažniausiai taikoma bausmė. Įkalinimo laikas yra pakankamai ilgas, per jį asmuo praranda ryšius su šeima, draugais. Jis nebetenka iki įkalinimo bausmės, turėtų profesinių sugebėjimų, o dažnai jų ir visai nėra turėjęs. Ryšių su artimiausia aplinka praradimas, ilgas įkalinimo bausmės laikas apsunkina šių asmenų sėkmingą integraciją, skatina kartotinį nusikalstamumą.Problema: Lietuvoje įkalinimo bausmės laikas yra ilgas. Per įkalinimo laikotarpį žmogus praranda ryšius su šeima, visuomene, praranda iki įkalinimo turėtus darbinius įgūdžius.Problema: Lietuvoje įkalinimo bausmės laikas yra ilgas. Per įkalinimo laikotarpį žmogus praranda ryšius su šeima, visuomene, praranda iki įkalinimo turėtus darbinius įgūdžius.Nagrinėjama tema yra aktuali visuomenei, kadangi pilniausiai atspindi nusikalstamumo fenomeną. Žmogus, gyvenantis visuomenėje dažniausiai dėl nepalankių aplinkybių šeimoje, artimiausioje aplinkoje, nepakankamai... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / 1. During the investigation a hypothesis has been confirmed that the repeated criminality of the persons who served imprisonment sentence is connected with the duration of the sentence and the demerit of the successful resocialiasation process of the persons who are punished with the imprisonment sentences. 2. When reviewing scientific literature it has become clear that the state defines the direction of its activity in the following way: it expresses its will through the nation’s legally selected representatives and also seeks to defend the mankind from criminal actions. This is called politics. The population defence is carried out through criminal and sentence prosecution policies. Both of them form social politics. Criminal policy defines criminal actions. Sentence prosecution policy deals with the state Criminal policy but it is being realized in the sentence prosecution and commitment sphere. The aim of these policies is population defence. The state Sentence prosecution policy being carried out through the branch of Penitentiary law is called sentence prosecution or penitentiary law. Penitentiary law deals with social relationships which appear when prosecuting or serving the sentences. As it is obvious from the sources of penitentiary law, the aim of this sentence is not only to put the criminal into prison or to restore legitimacy but also to influence him not to commit crimes in the future. Penitentiary law fulfills its function only in connection with other... [to full text]

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2005. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Inledning: I föreliggande litteraturstudie analyseras tre kvantitativa studier somundersökt sambanden mellan objektrelationer och antisocial personlighetsstörningoch psykopati hos kriminella män. Målgruppen överensstämmer väl med personermed kriminell livsstil. Föreliggande uppsats syftar till att utifrån den samladekunskapen öka förståelsen för de omedvetna emotionella processerna hospersoner med kriminell livsstil. En ökad förståelse antas kunna bidra till bättreanpassad behandling för målgruppen. Frågeställningar: Vilka objektrelationer finns hos livsstilskriminella män? Hurkan en större förståelse inom området bidra till bättre anpassade interventionerför målgruppen? Metod: Studierna har inkluderats genom databassökning och analyserats genomtematisering där generella och specifika aspekter av objektrelationer hosmålgruppen identifierats. Resultat: Resultatet visar att målgruppen generellt har enpersonlighetsorganisation på borderlinenivå. Specifikt är egocentrism denintrapsykiska aspekt som är mest karaktäristisk. Interventioner som visat sigframgångsrika med andra former av personlighetsstörningar inom kluster B antasvara användbara för målgruppen. Diskussion: Vidare forskning behövs om hur målgruppens egocentrism skahanteras i den terapeutiska situationen. Psykoedukativa inslag om egocentrismantas kunna bidra till att klienten idealiserar denna kunskap, vilket kan vändas tillett intresse för det egna inre. / Introduction: In this literature study, the relationships between objectrelationships and antisocial personality disorder and psychopathy among criminalswas analysed. The aim is to increase the understanding of the unconsciousemotional processes of people with a criminal lifestyle. An increasedunderstanding is believed to contribute to better tailored interventions for thetarget group. Issues: What object relations are found in men with a criminal lifestyle? How cana greater understanding in the area contribute to better tailored interventions forthe target group? Methods: The studies have been included through database search and examinedthrough thematization. General and specific aspects of object relations wereidentified. Results: The result shows that the target group generally has a personalityorganization at borderline level. Specifically, egocentrism is the characteristicaspect. Interventions that have proved to be successful with other personalitydisorders within cluster B are believed to be useful to the target group. Discussion: Further research is needed to examine how egocentrism should behandled in the therapeutic situation. Psycho-educative elements aboutegocentrism are believed to help the client idealize this knowledge and turn it intoan interest in his own mental states.