November 08, 2008

Studying psychopaths . Most researchers agree that anyone who scores thirty or higher on the PCL-R is considered to be a psychopath. Kiehl says, “Someone who scores a thirty-five, a thirty-six, they are just different. You say to yourself, ‘Aha, here you are. You are why I do this.’ ”
posted by polychrome 16 years ago
  • I hope not to bore anyone with the "dissertation" I am about to launch into. If you are easily bored, feel free to skip ahead. This is USA law oriented, therefore your mileage may vary. I will use "psy" to refer to psychiatry and psychology. While psychopathy may not be firmly entrenched in the thinking of academic and clinical psy, it, along with other instruments, plays an enormous role in forensic (testifying in court) psy. The main types of instruments used in forensic psy, from my experience, are actuarials used to determine the relative risk of recidivism/reconviction and diagnostic tools (like the PCL-R). These instruments primarily find application in sentencing, which uses the instruments to help determine the relative future threat a person poses, and thus how many years he should receive, and in civil commitment, in both diagnosis and determining the future dangerousness of the target. In my mind, there are a couple of problems with the use of these instruments, the PCL-R included. 1) They tend to inspire fear in juries, as words like psychopath tend to suggest a cold-hearted predator, and thus a material risk to the safety of the community. 2) They tend to invade the "province of the jury." Instead of letting the jury make up its own mind, these sort of tools tend to suggest a person is empirically a threat. 3) The foundational science is in its infancy, and psy is shaped by policy, not just "science." Open up a DSM-III. Look in the paraphilias. You will find homosexuality listed as a psychiatric disorder. 4) They generally take no (or little account) of treatment, time, or personal change. Actuarials seem to doom a person based on acts which could have occurred decades ago. 5) Inter-rater reliability/scoring issues 6) Misuse. The PCL-R Hare is commonly abused, with scores under the magic threshold of 30 used to suggest "moderate" psychopathic features. I'm too tired to manage much more. I find the practice of forensic psy to be wrought with problems, from its very foundation to its application, and I find it's used to more or less lock people away with the niceties of (perhaps incorrect application of ) statistical distribution.
  • Thanks DTP - when I read the article I got the impression (I guess, erroneously) that the psy assessment vis a vis PCL score was used at sentencing, _after_ the jury had returned their verdict.
  • In a somewhat freaky coincidence someone sent me this test this morning: http://www.helloquizzy.com/tests/the-are-you-a-psychopath-test2 I can't tell you what I scored because that would affect the chances of employment for the rest of my life.
  • "You scored 83% empathic, 12% delusional, 87% sociable, and 70% law-abiding" But the fact that I wanted to take the test reveals more than the results.
  • You scored 66% empathic, 0% delusional, 67% sociable, and 46% law-abiding! You don't have any gross defects of character at all. You might have your problems, but for the most part you're simply a normal person and most definitely not a psychopath in any way. Hmmmm, that's surprising! Doesn't everybody drive over the limit?
  • poly: You'd be right in criminal cases. I know the Feds only use things like the PCL-R and VRAG to determine where within the guidelines to sentence a person already adjudged guilty. The problem more lies in commitment, where the trial court must find, in a nutshell, 1) the target is mentally ill and 2) the target is dangerous. The PCL-R is evidence (I'll not comment on the weight I feel it should be attributed :D ) of both 1) and 2).
  • this test is bunk, it said I have "the healthy mind"!
  • Ah - thanks.
  • "You're a sane, friendly person with a healthy respect for the law. You're not particularly emotional and may have difficulty connecting with others, but because you do tend to follow the law and treat others with respect it's doubtful your behavior will ever be particularly destructive. You're definitely not a psychopath." I know the test is just lying to me to get what it wants. Isn't that so, Gorto?
  • If i can't seem to red their verification code does that mean I'm a robot? I never knew!!
  • You have many of the same qualities of a psychopath while also showing some delusional tendencies. This is deeply concerning, but there is a faint chance that with therapy and medication you could be a productive member of society. You're probsbly not a psychopath. Oooh drugs! Naah, just kidding.
  • The Healthy Mind You scored 72% empathic, 5% delusional, 75% sociable, and 66% law-abiding! You don't have any gross defects of character at all. You might have your problems, but for the most part you're simply a normal person and most definitely not a psychopath I'm more law-abiding than GramMa? Also, I don't know about this. I refuse to believe my mind is healthy. Maybe it's just crafty, and I'm self-delusional enough to answer things the way I think they are, rather than based on reality. Oh, I don't know...now I think the test has made me crazy.
  • You scored 92% empathic, 0% delusional, 84% sociable, and 68% law-abiding! Gloom for years thinking deviant. Will that count as delusional? No? FAIL! ME! Breaking the speed limit is normal. Right?
  • i so know better than to take this test.