Psychopathy

Psychopathy

Psychopathy is an early psychological theory which is defined as "a personality disorder characterized by antisocial behavior and lack of affect" (Schmalleger, 2009) P. 217. A psychopath, per the above definition, is one who is asocial and displays lack of feeling for the sufferings of others. Psychopathy has both emotional and behavioral components.

Harvey outlines the characteristics of the psycho pathetic personality to include artificial charm, hallucinations or other signs of psychosis, good intelligence, no delusion, lack of nervousness, no feelings of guilt or shame, unreliability, pathological lying, continuous antisocial behavior, defective judgment, inability to learn from past experience, selfishness, lack of love, insensitivity to interpersonal relations, impersonal, minimal and a disorderly sex life, and failure to pursue any life plan (1964).

Harvey M. Cleckly, a Georgian neuropsychiatist is his book "The Mask of Insanity", gave a detailed description of the concept of psychopathic personality. In the said book, Harvey described a psychopath as a "moral idiot", one manifesting complete lack of empathy for the feelings of others though they may be conscious of the happenings around them (1964). Before Harvey, others like the French physician Philippe Pinel, Nolan Lewis, Richard Von Kraff Ebing, Bernard Gleuck, and William Healy had written on the concept.

Psychopathy is widely recognized as a medical condition which is difficult or impossible to treat. However a 2006 study found that intensive treatment of youths

Psychopathy

manifesting psychopathic characteristics has a significant effect on violent recidivism (Caldwell, M., Skeem, J., Salekin, R., & Rybock, G. (2006). Available literature on the treatment of psychopathy gives the impression that the disorder is pretty difficult to treat (Anestis, J. 2009). The treatment for psychopathy is made available through communities where offenders are housed in the hope that the new environment would help shape the psychopath. Cognitive behavioral approaches are also used but this form of treatment has been castigated as ineffective (Hughes, Hogue, Hollin & Champion (1997).

References

Anestis, J. (2009). Treatment of Psychopathy. Oxymoron or clinically feasible? Psychotherapy: Brown Bag

Caldwell, M., Skeem, J., Salekin, R., & Rybock, G., (2006) Treatment response of adolescent offenders with Psychopathy features: A 2 year follow-up, Criminal justice and behavior, Vol. 33(5)

Cleckley, H M. (1964). The mask of insanity, (4th ed.) St. Louis, MO: Mosby. Retrieved on the 13th of May, 2011 from: http://www.psychotherapybrownbag.com/psychotherapy_brown_bag_a/2009/04/treatment-of-psychopathy-oxymoron-or-clinically-feasible.html

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