A review of the construct of psychopathy suggested that procedures for assessing the disorder should take into account its two-facet structure, its chronicity, its association with criminality, and its association with deceitfulness. A review of the five most popular assessment procedures currently in use indicated that none of them was completely satisfactory; the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) appeared to be superior to the other measures in most respects, but it was not well-suited for use outside of forensic settings. It was therefore decided to develop anew scale, based on the PCL-R, that would be suitable for both forensic and nonforensic settings. Pilot testing resulted in a 12-item symptom construct rating scale, named the Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version (PCL:SV). The PCL:SV was validated in 11 samples (N = 586) from forensic/nonpsychiatric, forensic/psychiatric, civil/psychiatric, and civil/nonpsychiatric settings. Results indicated that the PCL:SV had good internal consistency, interrater reliability, and temporal stability. The scale also appeared to have a two-factor structure, at least in samples with an appreciable base rate of psychopathy. The PCL:SV was highly correlated with other psychopathy-related measures, including the PCL-R, antisocial personality disorder symptom counts, and several self-report scales. It also had a pattern of convergent and discriminant validities that was consistent with both theory and previous research that used the PCL-R. It was concluded that the PCL:SV holds considerable promise as a measure of psychopathy; areas requiring further research were identified. / Arts, Faculty of / Psychology, Department of / Graduate

No description available.

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Note:

Recent approaches to the study of clinical depression stress the role of interpersonal processes in the course of the disorder. In particular, the responses of others to depressed persons are thought to be important in the maintenance of depression. Several empirical studies have shown that depressed patients tend to be rejected and to induce negative mood (e.g., depression, anxiety, and hostility) in others. The present study was a further attempt to assess the nature of the depressed person's interaction with his/her social environment. Thirty-four female subjects engaged in same sex face-to-face dyadic interactions with depressed patients, nondepressed patients, or normal controls. Behavioral and self report measures were taken of the response of others to depressed patients, nondepressed patients, and normal controls. Contrary to expectations, no characteristic patterns were identified in the response of others to depressed patients. Several possible explanations of the findings were presented. The results were discussed in terms of the interactional theory of depression and related to relevant empirical studies. Several suggestions for further research were presented.

Psychopathy continues to receive increased attention due to the negative outcomes, including recidivism, violence, and poor treatment amenability. Despite the vast amount of attention psychopathy has received, research on its applications to mentally disordered offenders remains sparse. The current study explored the relationship between psychopathy, depression, anxiety, and psychotic disorders. It also investigated the comparative fits of two and three-factor models of the PCL-R with mentally disordered offenders. Participants consisted of 96 inmates placed in the mental health pod at Tarrant County Jail. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) with testlets found the three-factor PCL-R model had excellent fit (Robust Comparative Fit Index = 1.00). Psychopathy was found to be a construct independent of mental disorders. Two exceptions were (a) a modest correlation between anxiety and Impulsive and the Irresponsible Lifestyle factor of the PCL-R (r = 0.20) and (b) a modest negative correlation between Deficient Affective Experience of the PCL-R and mania (r = -.37). Based on the current data, treatment programs for mentally disordered offenders are suggested that focus on both behavioral and personality aspects of psychopathy.

No description available.

Orientador: Jorge Luís Ferreira Abrão / Coorientadora: Viviana Carola Velasco Martinez / Banca: Gustavo Adolfo Ramos Mello Neto / Banca: Fabio Roberto Rodrigues Belo / Banca: Thassia Souza Emídio / Banca: Diana Pancini de Sá Antunes Ribeiro / Resumo: Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo estabelecer um diálogo entre as teorias do trauma de Sándor Ferenczi de Jean Laplanche, a fim de relacionar os pontos convergentes presentes nos autores. Para tanto, procedeu-se a uma revisão bibliográfica a fim de destacar a especificidade do pensamento de cada autor. Discorreu-se sobre a vida e obra de Ferenczi a título de efetuar um resgate do autor e pontuar os principais conceitos envolvidos em sua concepção de trauma. Depois, descreveu-se a trajetória de pesquisa de Laplanche, a qual eclodiu na renovação teórica apresentada em sua teoria da sedução generalizada. Ao final, articulou-se os principais conceitos teóricos presentes na teoria de ambos para discutir a noção de trauma oriunda destas. Destacou-se quatro pontos fundamentais sobre os quais a análise teórica foi feita: a abertura psíquica; o papel do outro na constituição subjetiva; a noção de corpo como parasitado pelas representações desligadas e a noção de après-coup como característica da temporalização do humano. Como resultado caracterizou-se dois tipos de trauma descritos pelos autores: o trauma fundamental e o trauma intromissivo. Também se certificou que para os autores o caráter exógeno da formação psíquica implica a relação com o outro originário, cujas mensagens pulsionais incidem sobre a criança, instaurando a tópica inconsciente. Assim, pode-se pensar nos aspectos éticos implicados no cuidado parental e nas possibilidades profiláticas da terapêutica psicanalítica / Abstract: This research aims to establish a dialogue between the trauma theories of Sándor Ferenczi and Jean Laplanche, to enable to indicate their convergence points. Therefore, proceeded a bibliographical review to point out the specificity of each author's thoughts. Ran through the life and work of Ferenczi to evaluate the author rescue and point out his major concepts about the trauma. Than, described Laplanche's research, which emerges in a theorical renovation presented in the general seduction's theory. In the end, we articulate the major concepts present in both authors to discuss the notion of trauma from them. We accentuated four conceptual axes to proceed to an theorical analysis: the psychic openning; the role for the other in the psychic constitution; the notion of body as parasited by desconnected representations and the notion of après-coup as caracateristic of human temporalization. As result, we caracterized two types of trauma as described by the authors: a fundamental trauma and the intromissive trauma. Also certificates that for these authors the psychic formation has an exogenous character implicated in the relationship with the original other, which pulsional messages affects the child, instituting the unconscious topic. So, we can think about the ethical aspects of the child's care and the possibilities of psychoanalytical terapeutics / Doutor

The focus of this study was to evaluate the psychological and psychosocial factors of a novel and composite meditation–visualization practice known as the best self visualization method (BSM). The researcher adapted and modified the BSM to work within a brief 2-week, two-session intervention period. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects on psychopathology (GAD, PHQ), resilience (PHQ, GAD, Gratitude, Compassion, DSES, Trust, Personal Growth, Mindfulness, and Social Connection), and bio-physiological changes related to EEG spectral power, coherence, and heart rate variability (BPM-Coherence). A total of 66 participants were randomized into active meditation control (n = 35) and BSM (n = 31) intervention groups. Data analysis revealed significant effects for GAD in favor of BSM psychopathology attenuation (U = 316.5, z = -1.62, p ≤ .05) as well as for the PHQ (U = 321.5, z = -1.54, p = .06). Individual t tests revealed a much more robust effect. There were no significant differences for the other scales measured except for interpersonal trust, which had a stronger effect for the BSM group, t(23) = -1.90, p = .04. For EEG and HRV data, results showed the BSM elicited significant changes in parietal gamma spectral power (F[2, 15] = 6.34, p = .010), parietal alpha blocking (F[1, 15] = 5.14, p = .039), and heart rate coherence achievement (t[28] = 1.97, p = .03), as well as demonstrated a heart rate increase trend. Paradoxically, the BSM’s bio-physiological profile was more “activating” when compared to the control, indicating psychopathology attenuation was not related necessarily to a relaxation response.

Thesis (M.A. (Clinical Psychology) -- University of Limpopo, 2012 / The aim of this study was to profile the characteristics of children with mental retardation presenting at the Clinical Psychology Unit of Polokwane/Mankweng Hospital Complex over a period of five years. A descriptive methodological approach was chosen as a study design for the purpose of data collection and subsequent data analysis. Using the archival data method, the clinical files of all children presenting with mental retardation at this facility were retrieved and studied. A total of 326 (male = 169; female = 157) files covering the period under review were retrieved. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse the data. Categorical data were analysed by using frequency tables, descriptive statistics and crosstabulations. The study showed that 314 cases (96.3%) were reflected as Black, whilst the remaining 12 cases (3.7%) were reflected as White (2.15%); Indian (1.23%); and Other (0.30%). Several clinical methods that included clinical interviews, psychometric tests, clinical observations and collateral information sources were used by the psychologists for the purpose of making a diagnosis. The study further revealed that a huge number of cases (35.6%) were diagnosed with mental retardation. It was also found that 45.4% of the cases were diagnosed to have comorbid clinical conditions such as epilepsy, Down’s syndrome, visual problems etc. The majority of the persons were referred to the Clinical Psychology Unit to be assessed for school placement (50%) and disability grant (38.7%).With regard to interventions, psychologists who saw these persons tended to frequently refer them to special schools and other health professionals. Psychotherapy was the least utilised intervention method used by the psychologists. The findings of the present study reinforce the importance of and value of high quality management and treatment of mental retardation and related comorbid conditions. Based on these findings, it is recommended that more efforts be made to strengthen the working relationship between Polokwane/Mankweng Hospital Complex and the respective special schools where these persons that are diagnosed with mental retardation are referred to. It is further recommended that consideration be given to strengthening the relationship between Polokwane/Mankweng Hospital Complex and the social security agency so as to obviate any potential problems that could be associated with the allocation of the disability grants to persons with mental retardation.