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3.3 - Psychopathic Personality Disorder

from Part III - Assessment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 December 2021

By
David J. Cooke
Edited by
Jennifer M. Brown  and
Miranda A. H. Horvath
Jennifer M. Brown
Affiliation:
London School of Economics and Political Science
Miranda A. H. Horvath
Affiliation:
University of Suffolk
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Summary

Psychopathic Personality Disorder (PPD) plays a central role in forensic clinical practice. It has relevance for violence risk and treatment responsivity; those suffering from it place financial and other burdens on services. PPD remains a controverted concept; the essence of the disorder remains disputed. In this chapter I examine the history of the concept, methods for its evaluation, its demography and its relevance to clinical practice—from the first interview, through risk formulation to intervention. I describe recent attempts to explicate the concept of the PPD, including the development of the Comprehensive Assessment of Psychopathic Personality (CAPP). I conclude by considering current controversies regarding the diagnostic significance of criminal behaviour, the predictive utility of historical instruments such as the Psychopathy Checklist Revised and the reliability of that instrument in forensic clinical practice.

Keywords

Psychopathic Personality DisorderComprehensive Assessment of Psychopathic PersonalityCAPPControversiesInterviewing
Type
Chapter
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The Cambridge Handbook of Forensic Psychology , pp. 369 - 387
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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