LIMBIC SYSTEM DYSFUNCTION AND INVENTORIED PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AMONG INCARCERATED PEDOPHILES

This study explored relationships between ''highly probable'' neuropat hology in the limbic system (as gauged by clinically elevated scores o n the Limbic System Checklist-33, or LSCL-33, a screening index for li mbic system dysfunction developed by medical researchers at Harvard an d Dartmouth) and inventoried psychopathology (as gauged through scores on the MMPI) among a group of adjudicated pedophiles incarcerated for treatment in a specialized prison for criminal sexual psychopaths in a mid-Atlantic state. Principal findings: Only 33 percent of this samp le of incarcerated pedophiles exhibits scores on the LSCL-33 at a leve l high enough to warrant a medical conclusion of ''probable'' limbic s ystem dysfunction. When scores on the MMPI are grouped according to cr itical values for clinically relevant scores on the LSCL-33, significa nt F ratios in one-way analyses of variance are observed on L, F, K, H s, D, Hy, Pa, Pt, Sc, and Ma. Mean T scores for ''probable'' dysfuncti onals simultaneously reach elevations at or above the threshold of cli nical significance for Pd, Pa, and Sc. On that basis, the categorizati on psychopathic paranoid schizophrenia readily applies to limbic syste m dysfunctional child sexual abusers studied in this inquiry, but not to their nondysfunctional counterparts. But significant F ratios are o bserved neither for the age of the victim(s) in the instant offense(s) , for the number of prior arrests for sex offenses, for the number of prior arrests for any and all felony offenses, including sex offenses, nor for the offender's current age. However, a stepwise multiple regr ession between gross number of prior arrests for any and all offenses (including sex offenses) as the most robust of the indices of past cri minal activity and both LSCL-33 and MMPI scores across all offenders r epresented in this inquiry (i.e., the limbic system dysfunctional, the nondysfunctional, and a mid-range group) proceeds to four steps, achi eving a multiple R of .575 and encompassing Pd, Mf, Pa, and LSCL-33 sc ores as the most efficient interactive post-dictive set. Stepwise mult iple regression analyses of past arrest record computed independently for limbic system dysfunctionals and nondysfunctionals progresses amon g dysfunctionals to seven steps, achieving a multiple R of .867 and en compassing Pd, Hy, Ma, Mf, Si, Pa, and Sc scores as the most efficient interactive post-dictive set; and among nondysfunctionals, to six ste ps, achieving a multiple R of .797 and encompassing Mf, D, Pt, Hy, Pa, and over-controlled hostility scores as the most efficient interactiv e post-dictive set. The latter results are interpreted as suggesting t hat neuropathology and psychopathology interact with and potentiate ea ch other in post-dieting criminal behavior among the pedophiles studie d in this inquiry.