NCJ Number
210931
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 32 Issue: 4 Dated: August 2005 Pages: 452-476
Date Published
August 2005
Length
25 pages
Annotation
This study examined the reliability and validity of measures of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and psychopathy among 203 clients with dual disorders and their prospective relationship to criminality and violence over 3 years.
Abstract
ASPD is characterized by a pattern of irresponsible, delinquent, and criminal behavior that begins in childhood and persists into adulthood. Studies have found that persons with ASPD are at increased risk of violence compared to persons with no ASPD. Psychopathy is an alternative construct to ASPD that is defined along two main dimensions: personality traits such as superficial charm, glibness, pathological lying, grandiose sense of self-worth, conning or manipulative behavior, and lack of empathy; and antisocial lifestyle, such as low tolerance for boredom and sensation seeking. The final sample for the current study, which was obtained from seven community mental health centers in New Hampshire, was interviewed at baseline and every 6 months for 3 years to assess psychiatric symptoms, substance use, quality of life, housing stability, services use, criminal activity, and violence. Psychopathy was measured with the Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (SRP-II). Researchers examined the relationship between ASPD, severe mental illness (SMI), substance use, and criminality and violence in a community setting. SRP-II scores had limited associations with criminality and violence; whereas ASPD, thought disturbance, negative affect, and earlier age at psychiatric hospitalization were predictive of aggressive behavior. Further research on violence in the community should examine other measures of psychopathy as well as ASPD and symptoms. 5 tables and 91 references