Psychological and psychiatric aspects of psychopathy versus the practice of opinion-making in the law application process
Psychological and psychiatric aspects of psychopathy versus the practice of opinion-making in the law application process

Summary/Abstract: Of all the interesting topics in the field of forensic psychology, psychopathy probably generates the greatest fascination. The research showed that the term psychopathy could be legitimately used because of the existing diagnosis differences between the discerned personality types. The review refers to the construct of psychopathy which is of increasing relevance for forensic psychiatry and psychology, especially empirical studies on legal prognosis and predicators of opinion-making and therapeutic efficacy. Psychopathy is related to the early ‑onset delinquency, number and severeness of violent crimes, number of sexual victims of rapists, and unfavourable legal prognosis. The recent research has also indicated that the treatment of psychopaths is complicated due to the low levels of motivation and high rates of attrition. In psychological and psychiatric diagnostic terms, psychopathy is related to the substance abuse and dependency and to the cluster A and B of personality disorders, especially to the antisocial and borderline ones. Moreover, the behavioural component proves to be the least important in explaining the intensity of psychopathic traits and lawbreaking.

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