PSYCHOPATHY AS A TAXON - EVIDENCE THAT PSYCHOPATHS ARE A DISCRETE CLASS

Citation
Gt. Harris et al., PSYCHOPATHY AS A TAXON - EVIDENCE THAT PSYCHOPATHS ARE A DISCRETE CLASS, Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 62(2), 1994, pp. 387-397
Citations number
37
Categorie Soggetti
Psycology, Clinical
ISSN journal
0022006X
Volume
62
Issue
2
Year of publication
1994
Pages
387 - 397
Database
ISI
SICI code
0022-006X(1994)62:2<387:PAAT-E>2.0.ZU;2-4
Abstract
Taxometric analyses were applied to the construct of psychopathy (as m easured by the Psychopathy Checklist) and to several variables reflect ing antisocial childhood, adult criminality, and criminal recidivism. Subjects were 653 serious offenders assessed or treated in a maximum-s ecurity institution. Results supported the existence of a taxon underl ying psychopathy. Childhood problem behaviors provided convergent evid ence for the existence of the taxon. Adult criminal history variables were continuously distributed and were insufficient in themselves to d etect the taxon.