This article is the first in a two-part series on psychopathy. Psychopathy is an elusive and perplexing psychological construct. Problems posed by this mental disorder are linked to changing historical interpretations impacting the current clinical community’s general understanding of it, especially in relation to Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD). Accordingly, the researchers provide a thorough analytical review of the major transitions associated with psychopathy’s historical development. This assessment demonstrates where and how the nomenclature, meaning, degree of social condemnation, and prognosis for this mental disorder have changed. Ultimately, this article clarifies much of the uncertainty surrounding this misunderstood psychological construct.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
American Psychiatric Association. (1952). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. Washington, DC: Author.
2.
American Psychiatric Association. (1968). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (Rev. ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
3.
American Psychiatric Association. (1980). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders(3rd ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
4.
American Psychiatric Association. (1987). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (Rev. ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
5.
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders(4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
6.
Cleckley, H. (1941). The mask of sanity(1st ed.). St. Louis, MO: C. V. Mosby.
7.
Cleckley, H. (1964). The mask of sanity(5th ed.). St. Louis, MO: C. V. Mosby.
8.
Cleckley, H. (1976). The mask of sanity. St. Louis, MO: C. V. Mosby.
9.
Cleckley, H. (1982). The mask of sanity(7th ed.). St. Louis, MO: C. V. Mosby.
10.
Coid, J. W. (1998). The management of dangerous psychopaths in prison. In T. Milolon, E. Simonsen, M. Birket-Smith, & R. D. Davis (Eds.), Psychopathy: Antisocial, criminal, and violent behavior (pp. 431-457). New York: Guilford.
11.
Craft, M. (1966). Psychopathic disorders and their assessment. Oxford, UK: Pergamon.
12.
Davies, W.,& Feldman, P. (1981). The diagnosis of psychopathy by forensic specialists. British Journal of Psychiatry, 138, 329-331.
13.
Dinges, N. G., Atlis, M. M.,& Vincent, G. M. (1998). Cross-cultural perspectives on antisocial behavior. In D. M. Stoff, J. Breiling, & J. D. Maser (Eds.), Handbook of antisocial behavior(pp. 463-473). New York: Wiley.
14.
Ellard, J. (1988). The history and present status of moral insanity. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 22, 383-389.
15.
Forth, A. E. (2000, January 5-7). Assessing psychopathy with the PCL-R.Sinclair Seminars, San Diego, CA.
16.
Gacono, C. B. (1998). The use of the psychopathy checklist-revised (PCL-R) and the Rorschach in treatment planning with antisocial personality disordered patients. International Journal of Offender and Comparative Criminology, 42, 49-64.
17.
Gacono, C. B., & Hutton, H. E. (1994). Suggestions for the clinical and forensic use of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R). International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 17(3), 303-317.
18.
Gunn, J. (1998). Psychopathy: An elusive concept with moral overtones. In T. Millon, E. Simonsen, M. Birket-Smith, & R. D. Davis (Eds.), Psychopathy: Antisocial, criminal, and violent behavior (pp. 32-39). New York: Guilford.
19.
Hare, R. D. (1980). A research scale for the assessment of psychopathy in criminal populations. Personality and Individual Differences, 1, 111-119.
20.
Hare, R. D. (1985). Comparison of procedures for the assessment of psychopathy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 53, 7-16.
21.
Hare, R. D. (1991). The Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised. Toronto, Canada: Multi-Health Systems.
22.
Hare, R. D. (1993). Without conscience: The disturbing world of the psychopaths among us. New York: Guilford.
23.
Hare, R. D. (1996). Psychopathy: A clinical construct whose time has come. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 23(1), 25-54.
24.
Hare, R. D. (1998). Psychopaths and their nature: Implications for the mental health and criminal justice systems. In T. Millon, E. Simonsen, M. Birket-Smith, & R. D. Davis (Eds.), Psychopathy: Antisocial, criminal, and violent behavior(pp. 188-212). New York: Guilford.
25.
Hare, R. D. (2000, January 5-7). Assessing psychopathy with the PCL-R. Sinclair Seminars, San Diego, CA.
26.
Harris, G. T., Rice, M. E.,& Quinsey, V. L. (1991). Psychopathy and the DSM-IVcriteria for antisocial personality disorder. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 100(3), 391-398.
27.
Hart, S., & Hare, R. D. (1993). Psychopathy, mental disorder, and crime. In S. Hodgins (Ed.), Mental disorder and crime(pp. 104-115). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
28.
Hart, S. D.,& Hare, R. D. (1997). Psychopathy: Assessment and association with criminal conduct. In D. M. Stoff, J. Breiling, & J. D. Maser (Eds.), Handbook of antisocial behavior(pp. 22-35). New York: Wiley.
29.
Koch, J. L. (1891). Die psychopathischen Mindwertigkeiten. Ravensburg, Germany.
30.
Kraepelin, E. (1915). Psychiatrie: Ein lehrbuch(8th ed., Vol. 4). Leipzig, Germany: Barth.
31.
Krafft-Ebing, R. von. (1904). Textbook of insanity(C. G. Chaddock, Trans.). Philadelphia: F. A. Davis.
Lykken, D. T. (1995). The antisocial personalities. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
34.
Martens, W. (2000). Antisocial and psychopathic disorders: Causes, course, and remission: AReview article. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 44(3).
35.
Maudsley, H. (1897/1977). Responsibility in mental disease. New York: Publications of America.
36.
McCord, W., & McCord, J. (1964). The psychopath: An essay on the criminal mind. Princeton, NJ: Van Nostrand.
37.
Meloy, J. R. (1988). The psychopathic mind: Origins, dynamics, and treatment. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson.
38.
Meloy, J. R. (1996). The dangerous psychopath[Cassette Recording Vol. 25 No. 1]. Audio Digest Foundation, Psychiatry.
39.
Millon, T. (1981). Disorders of personalityDSM III Axis II. New York: Wiley.
40.
Millon, T., Simonsen, E., & Birket-Smith, M. (1998). Historical conceptions of psychopathy in the United States and Europe. In T. Millon, E. Simonsen, M. Birket-Smith,& R. D. Davis (Eds.), Psychopathy: Antisocial, criminal, and violent behavior(pp. 3-31). New York: Guilford.
41.
Ogloff, J., Wong, S.,& Greenwood, A. (1990). Treating criminal psychopaths in a therapeutic community program. Behavior Sciences and the Law, 8, 81-90.
42.
Pinel, P. (1962). A treatise on insanity(D. Davis, Trans.). NewYork: Hafner. (Originalwork published in 1801)
43.
Prichard, J. C. (1835). A treatise on insanity and other disorders affecting the mind. London: Sherwood, Gilbert, & Piper.
44.
Prichard, J. C. (1837/1973). A treatise on insanity and other disorders affecting the mind. New York: Arno.
45.
Rice, M. E. (1997). Violent offender research and implications for the criminal justice system. American Psychologist, 52(4), 414-423.
46.
Rice, M. E., Harris, G. T.,& Cormier, C. A. (1992). An evaluation of a maximum security therapeutic community for psychopaths and other mentally disordered offenders. Law and Human Behavior, 16, 399-412.
47.
Robins, L. N. (1978). Aetiological implications in studies of childhood histories relating to antisocial personality. In R. D. Hare& D. Schalling (Eds.), Psychopathic behavior: Approaches to research. Chichester, UK: Wiley.
48.
Rogers, R., Dion, K. L., & Lynett, E. (1992). Diagnostic validity of antisocial personality disorder. Law and Human Behavior, 16, 677-689.
49.
Rush, B. (1812). Medical inquiries and observations upon the diseases of the mind. Philadelphia: Kimber & Richardson.
50.
Schneider, K. (1958). Psychopathic personalities. London: Cassell.
51.
Serin, R. C. (1991). Psychopathy and violence in criminals. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 6, 423-431.
52.
Simon, L. M. (1998). Does criminal offender treatment work? Applied& Preventative Psychology, 7, 137-159.
53.
Smith, R. J. (1978). Personality and psychopathology: A series of monographs, texts, and treatises. New York: Academic Press.
54.
Stevens, G. F. (1993). Applying the diagnosis Antisocial Personality to imprisoned offenders. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 19(1/2), 1-26.
55.
Stevens, G. F. (1994). Prison clinicians’ perceptions of Antisocial Personality Disorder as a formal diagnosis. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 20(3/4), 159-185.
56.
Toch, H. (1998). Psychopathy or Antisocial Personality Disorder in forensic settings. In T. Millon, E. Simonsen, M. Birket-Smith,& R. D. Davis (Eds.), Psychopathy: Antisocial, criminal, and violent behavior(pp. 144-158). New York: Guilford.
57.
Vold, G. B., Bernard, T. J., & Snipes, J. B. (1998). Theoretical criminology(4th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.
58.
Widom, C. S. (1998). Child abuse, neglect, and witnessing violence. In D. M. Stoff, J. Breiling,& J. D. Maser (Eds.), Handbook of antisocial behavior(pp. 159-170). New York: Wiley.
59.
Zanarini, M. C.,& Gunderson, J. G. (1998). Differential diagnosis of antisocial and borderline personality disorders. In D. M. Stoff, J. Breiling, & J. D. Maser (Eds.), Handbook of antisocial behavior (pp. 83-91). New York: Wiley.
60.
Zinger, I., & Forth, A. E. (1998). Psychopathy and Canadian criminal proceedings: The potential for human rights. Canadian Journal of Criminology, 40, 237-276.
