NCJ Number
79597
Journal
BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIAL AND CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY Volume: 19 Issue: 3 Dated: (1980) Pages: 257-269
Date Published
1980
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This paper compares psychophysiological characteristics of groups of maximum-security patients separated on (1) some criteria of primary psychopathic behavior and nonprimary psychopathic behavior, (2) diagnosis of schizophrenia and psychopathy, and (3) ratings of ward behavior.
Abstract
From the research reviewed, it was hypothesized that maximum-security patients with primary psychopathic case records should have slow skin resistance at the time of half recovery and low rate of spontaneous fluctuation relative to patients with nonpsychopathic records. Further, it was predicted that patients psychiatrically classified as 'schizophrenic' should have opposing response characteristics to those classified as 'primary psychopathic' on certain electrodermal indices. Subjects were 37 male maximum-security hospital patients who volunteered for psychophysiological testing 5 weeks after admission. Patients were tested on two consecutive days. The tests were designed to induce stress, with the aim of sampling as many different types of stress situations as possible. In line with the hypotheses, patients rated as 'disoriented' by nurses and diagnosed 'schizophrenic' tended to have increased spontaneous electrodermal fluctuations and reduced orienting response recovery time relative to 'nondisoriented' and diagnosed 'psychopaths.' Also low rate spontaneous fluctuation in skin resistance differentiated high-public-risk psychopaths from low-risk domestic offenders. Data tables, graphs, and about 40 references are included. (Author abstract modified)