The Clinical and Forensic Assessment of Psychopathy: A Practitioner's Guide

As a construct, psychopathy has evolved far beyond its confusing origins in a melange of labels into an empirically measurable syndrome. This book translates findings into applied procedures and methods for all those whose work brings them into contact with this difficult population in mental health, correctional or court settings. Synthesizing information on assessing psychopathy in children, adolescents and adults, it offers "standard of care" guidelines for the assessment of psychopathy in general and the use of the Hare Psychopathy checklists in particular.It further: develops models for understanding the information processing and emotional experience of psychopaths; addresses legal and ethical issues; discusses implications for training and the effective integration of psychopathy assessment into general forensic practice-interviewing, predicting risk, evaluating the relationship of psychopathy to malingering, and writing reports; describes dilemmas presented by the psychopath in the corporate setting and offers suggestions for managing them and for weighing the necessity of incorporating psychopathy assessment into institutional evaluation procedures; and considers the relationship of psychopathy to sexual deviance, substance abuse and the criminal personality.