The prediction of adolescents' antisocial behavior was central to this investigation. Specifically, use of the Psychopathy Checklist, Revised (PCL) as a predictor of the treatment outcome of a residential unit for juvenile delinquents was evaluated. Toward this goal, three foci guided hypothesis generation and testing. Multiple hypotheses were tested to consider (a) the predictive validity of the PCL, (b) the match between the PCL and Moffitt's (1993b) taxonomy of antisocial behavior and (c) the utility of the PCL as a selection instrument for assignment of juvenile delinquents to behavioral residential unit treatment. Subjects consisted of 80 adolescent, racially-mixed males (28 unit residents, 52 high school students).Predictive validity was evidenced for criteria consisting of future incarceration and future violent and nonviolent criminal offenses committed over the year following PCL administration. Prediction of future incarceration produced results similar to those found with adult prisoners (80% of psychopaths and 21% of nonpsychopaths were incarcerated). Moreover, PCL scores accounted for 26% of the variability in violent offenses and 40% of the variability of nonviolent offenses committed by subjects during the follow-up year.The match between Moffitt's taxonomy of antisocial behavior and the PCL was evidenced by data gathered on those subjects who were known to have engaged in antisocial behavior (N=71). The constructs that Moffitt (1993b) argued would mediate antisocial behavior and are measured with PCL items (such as neuropsychological executive functioning) significantly improved the prediction of future antisocial behavior over that accounted for by Moffitt's taxonomy. In fact, PCL items accounted for more unique variability in future offenses committed than did Moffitt's taxonomy.Utility analyses indicated that the PCL could be used to improve the prevention of success-improbable delinquents from being assigned residential treatment. Dollar value utility analysis indicated that over $5800 per resident could be reallocated to other interventions by assigning success-improbable delinquents to other treatments. Doing so was projected to result in over $175,000 less to be spent on treating unsuccessful residents. It was also argued that utility analysis figures could be to argue for development of alternative programs for delinquents who would probably be unsuccessful in the residential unit program. Residents who presented with internalized psychiatric disorders were not identified using the proposed cutoff score. Therefore, it was recommended that a second test be used to detect delinquents in need of in-patient psychiatric care. / Department of Educational Psychology

Science has recently begun showing interest in the different mechanisms of the psychopathic brain, and current scientific research points to deficits in the structural and functional brain regions of psychopaths. Psychopathy is a disorder distinguished by its persistent antisocial behavior, emotional callousness, grandiose self-estimation, and lack of empathy. Further, it is also a disorder which is hard to classify. Notably, the Hare-Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) is the most common clinical rating scale used to diagnose psychopaths. This current systematic review aims to scrutinize literature that reviews psychopathy, delving into articles on neural correlates of emotion recognition of psychopaths. By using the PRISMA guidelines, this systematic research was conducted through, MEDLINE EBSCO, Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus. Through predisposed eligibility criteria, articles were chosen and reviewed. All selected articles found a significant result where psychopaths performed poorly on emotion recognition and important areas such as the prefrontal cortex and amygdala could be seen to perform worse. Notably, due to different test methods, one is unable to properly evaluate the results between the studies. Therefore, upcoming studies need to shed light on performing the same tests to provide stronger and equal evidence. This systematic review was done to shed better light on the disorder.

No description available.

High risk offenders are a complex and heterogeneous group of offenders about whom researchers, clinicians, and society still know relatively little. In response to the paucity of information that is specifically applicable to high risk offenders, the present study examined RCMP Integrated Sexual Predator Intelligence Network (ISPIN) data to investigate the relationship between sexual paraphilias, sexual fantasy, and psychopathy among 139 of the highest risk sexual offenders in British Columbia. The sample included 41 child molesters, 42 rapists, 18 rapist/molesters, 30 mixed offenders, and 6 “other” sexual offenders. The majority of offenders in this sample were diagnosed with one primary paraphilia (67%). Data analysis revealed significant differences between offender types for criminal history variables including past sexual and nonsexual convictions, number of victims, and age of offending onset. For example, offenders who victimized children (i.e., exclusive child molesters & rapist/molesters) had a greater number of past sexual convictions than did offenders who victimized adults exclusively. Further, there were significant differences between offender types for paraphilia diagnoses, sexual fantasy themes, and levels of psychopathy. For example, exclusive child molesters were significantly more likely to receive a paraphilia diagnosis, were more likely to report having sexual fantasies, and had lower Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R) scores than other offender types. Results from the current study will serve to facilitate a more refined and informed understanding of sexual offending behaviour, with important implications for future research, assessment, and treatment issues, as well as law enforcement practices when working with high risk sexual offenders.

High risk offenders are a complex and heterogeneous group of offenders about whom researchers, clinicians, and society still know relatively little. In response to the paucity of information that is specifically applicable to high risk offenders, the present study examined RCMP Integrated Sexual Predator Intelligence Network (ISPIN) data to investigate the relationship between sexual paraphilias, sexual fantasy, and psychopathy among 139 of the highest risk sexual offenders in British Columbia. The sample included 41 child molesters, 42 rapists, 18 rapist/molesters, 30 mixed offenders, and 6 “other” sexual offenders. The majority of offenders in this sample were diagnosed with one primary paraphilia (67%). Data analysis revealed significant differences between offender types for criminal history variables including past sexual and nonsexual convictions, number of victims, and age of offending onset. For example, offenders who victimized children (i.e., exclusive child molesters & rapist/molesters) had a greater number of past sexual convictions than did offenders who victimized adults exclusively. Further, there were significant differences between offender types for paraphilia diagnoses, sexual fantasy themes, and levels of psychopathy. For example, exclusive child molesters were significantly more likely to receive a paraphilia diagnosis, were more likely to report having sexual fantasies, and had lower Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R) scores than other offender types. Results from the current study will serve to facilitate a more refined and informed understanding of sexual offending behaviour, with important implications for future research, assessment, and treatment issues, as well as law enforcement practices when working with high risk sexual offenders.

High risk offenders are a complex and heterogeneous group of offenders about whom researchers, clinicians, and society still know relatively little. In response to the paucity of information that is specifically applicable to high risk offenders, the present study examined RCMP Integrated Sexual Predator Intelligence Network (ISPIN) data to investigate the relationship between sexual paraphilias, sexual fantasy, and psychopathy among 139 of the highest risk sexual offenders in British Columbia. The sample included 41 child molesters, 42 rapists, 18 rapist/molesters, 30 mixed offenders, and 6 “other” sexual offenders. The majority of offenders in this sample were diagnosed with one primary paraphilia (67%). Data analysis revealed significant differences between offender types for criminal history variables including past sexual and nonsexual convictions, number of victims, and age of offending onset. For example, offenders who victimized children (i.e., exclusive child molesters & rapist/molesters) had a greater number of past sexual convictions than did offenders who victimized adults exclusively. Further, there were significant differences between offender types for paraphilia diagnoses, sexual fantasy themes, and levels of psychopathy. For example, exclusive child molesters were significantly more likely to receive a paraphilia diagnosis, were more likely to report having sexual fantasies, and had lower Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R) scores than other offender types. Results from the current study will serve to facilitate a more refined and informed understanding of sexual offending behaviour, with important implications for future research, assessment, and treatment issues, as well as law enforcement practices when working with high risk sexual offenders. / Graduate Studies, College of (Okanagan) / Graduate