Psychopathy: Assessment and predicting recidivism

Psychopathy: Assessment and predicting recidivismLorelei VettelPSY492 Advanced General PsychologyArgosy UniversityAugust 16, 2010

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psychopathyAffective:Interpersonal: Lifestyle:ShallownessGrandiose ImpulsivenessInability to form bondsArrogance Ignoring normsShort temperednessDeceptive Violating normsLack of empathyDominant Lack of remorseManipulative SuperficialCallous

Psychopathy checklist-revised (pcl-r)Factor One (F1)

Interpersonal:Affective:

GlibnessLack of remorse

GrandioseShallow affect

Pathological lyingCallousness

ManipulativeFailure to acceptresponsibility

Factor Two (F2)

Lifestyle: Antisocial:

Need for stimulation Poor behavioral controlParasitic lifestyle Early behavior problemsLack of realistic Juvenile delinquencyGoalsImpulsivity Revocation of conditional releaseIrresponsibility Criminal versatility

Does the pcl-r predict recidivism?Walters (2003) found F2 of the PCL-R correlated moderately well with recidivism.Porter, Brinke, and Wilson (2009) found an association between psychopathy and increased instance of violent and non-violent offenses.Walters and Duncan (2005) found F2 of the PCL-R successfully predicted recidivism.Porter, Birt, and Boer (2001) found offenders scoring within the psychopathic range of the PCL-R (30 or higher), consistently committed more violent and non-violent offenses than those with low scores.

***Based on official criminal recidivism rates***

RecommendationsFind the cause of psychopathy

Find an effective treatment

Address the aspects of psychopathy responsible for the higher predictive efficacy of F2 of the PCL-R

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