Psychopathy and suicide: A multisample investigation.

Evidence suggests that behavioral aspects of psychopathy are associated with suicidal behavior, whereas the affective and interpersonal aspects are not. The authors tested the robustness of this bifurcated association across 1,711 persons and 12 samples of adult and juvenile criminal offenders, forensic psychiatric patients, and civil psychiatric patients. The authors observed a small but significant partial correlation (.13) between the behavioral/impulsive lifestyle features of psychopathy and suicidality, but no effect for affective/interpersonal features. Several method and sample features (mental disorder; psychopathy and suicidality measurement format) significantly strengthened or weakened this association. The authors conclude that it is not possible to speak of "the" association between psychopathy and suicide, but that this relationship appears to be partially dependent on methodological (i.e., self-report vs. clinician-administered psychopathy measures) and sample composition (i.e., age; mental illness) factors. Recommendations for practice are provided, including that clinicians should not consider psychopathy a buffer against suicidal behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Selecting a short form of the MMPI: Addendum to Faschingbauer.

T. R. Faschingbauer (1976) offered guidelines to clinicians in the selection of MMPI short forms as substitutes for the full MMPI. This comment offers an addendum to Faschingbauer in the form of a review of empirical studies of the clinical validity of MMPI short forms and a discussion of the MMPI-168, which was not considered in Faschingbauer's earlier article. For diagnostic and interpretive accuracy, the empirical evidence to date seems to favor 2 short forms—the Faschingbauer Abbreviated MMPI and the MMPI-168—over the other available short forms. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The competence-related abilities of women criminal defendants

Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta9-THC) elicits antinociception in rodents through the central CB1 cannabinoid receptor subtype. In addition. Delta9-THC stimulates the release of dynorphin-related peptides leading to kappa-opioid spinal antinociception. In this work we describe the effect of a mixture of thiorphan (a neutral endopeptidase EC3.4.24.11 inhibitor) and bestatin (an aminopeptidase inhibitor), administered i.c.v., on the antinociceptive effect of peripherally administered delta9-THC in mice. As in the case of morphine or DAMGO ([D-Ala2.N-Me-Phe4,Gly-ol]enkephalin), a mu-selective opioid receptor agonist, the mixture of enkephalin-degrading enzyme inhibitors also enhanced the antinociceptive effect of delta9-THC. This effect was blocked by the CB1 cannabinoid receptor antagonist, SR-141,716-A, as well as by naloxone. The kappa-opioid receptor antagonist nor-binaltorphimine, administered i.t., also antagonized the effect of this combination. Similar results were obtained with the mu-opioid receptor antagonist beta-funaltrexamine after i.c.v. administration. These results demonstrate the involvement of both mu-opioid supraspinal and kappa-opioid spinal receptors in the interaction of both opioid and cannabinoid systems regulating nociception in mice.     

Adjudicative competence: Evidence that impairment in “rational understanding” is taxonic.

In Dusky v. United States (1960), the U.S. Supreme Court articulated 3 abilities that determine a criminal defendant's competence to stand trial: He or she must be able to consult with counsel, have a factual understanding of the proceedings, and have a rational understanding of the proceedings. Although the legal determination of a defendant's competence involves a dichotomous judgment, the latent structures of the constructs that underlie the abilities articulated in Dusky are unknown. The current study focused on the rational understanding prong of the Dusky standard. We hypothesized that, whereas factual knowledge of the legal system and ability to assist counsel may fall on a continuum, plausible (i.e., rational) beliefs about legal proceedings may be dichotomous in nature. Taxometric analyses of the Appreciation scale of the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool—Criminal Adjudication, with a sample of 721 defendants, provided support for a taxonic structure. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Training in law and psychology: Models from the Villanova conference.

Although the domain of law and psychology is a burgeoning and popular field of study, there has never been a concerted effort to evaluate current training models or to develop newer, more effective ones. 48 invited participants attended a national conference held at Villanova Law School to remedy this deficiency. Working groups addressed issues of education and training for the undergraduate level; for doctoral-level programs in law and social science; for forensic clinical training; for joint-degree (JD/PhD–PsyD) programs; for those in practica, internships, and postdoctoral programs; and for continuing education. This article delineates levels and models of training in each of these areas. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

APA's expert panel in the Congressional review of the USS Iowa incident.

In 1989, an explosion aboard the USS Iowa killed 47 sailors. The navy attributed the explosion to the intentional suicidal acts of Gunners Mate Clayton Hartwig, a conclusion supported primarily by an "equivocal death analysis" conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The US House of Representatives Armed Services Committee (HASC) was highly critical of the FBI's report and the navy's conclusions, in part because of the peer review provided by 12 psychologists organized by the American Psychological Association (APA). This article (1) reviews the nature of equivocal death analysis and related reconstructive psychological evaluations, (2) describes the nature of APA's consultation and involvement with the HASC, (3) discusses the conclusions reached by the HASC and the influence of the APA panelists, and (4) suggests limitations on the use of equivocal death analysis and related procedures in light of scientific concerns and ethical considerations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The quality of forensic evaluations: An interdisciplinary study.

Conducted 2 studies in which the forensic reports of psychiatrists were compared with those of psychologists and/or social workers on a variety of measures of thoroughness and quality. Findings strongly contradict the conventional wisdom that psychiatrists' forensic evaluations are superior to those of nonmedically trained clinicians and have significant implications for the increased use of nonmedical clinicians with appropriate training and experience in forensic psychology. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A proposal for training in forensic psychology.

Documents the need for specialized training in forensic psychology. Several areas of specialty training are identified, and concrete and hypothetical examples are used to document the kinds of problems that emerge when mental health professionals without specialized training practice in the forensic area. Such specialties include legal tests and concepts, proper assessment, familiarity with relevant literature, and courtroom orientation. A graduate course sequence in forensic psychology that might alleviate some of the identified problems is presented; it includes an introduction, topical seminars, and field placements. (73 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Criterion-related validity of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory in a prison sample.

The Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI; S. 0. Lilienfeld & B. P. Andrews, 1996), a self-report measure of psychopathic personality features, and R. D. Hare's (1991) Psychopathy Checklist–Revised (PCL–R) were administered to adult youthful offender prison inmates (N?=?50). As hypothesized, PPI scores were significantly correlated with scores on the PCL–R, providing evidence of concurrent validity for the PPI. Moreover, unlike existing self-report psychopathy measures, the PPI showed a moderate and positive correlation with PCL–R Factor 1 (i.e., the core personality traits of psychopathy). Discriminant function analysis using the optimal PPI total score value to predict PCL–R classifications of psychopath (n?=?10) and nonpsychopath (n?=?40) resulted in accurate classification of 86% of the cases (sensitivity?=?.50, specificity?=?.95). Results are discussed in terms of the relative merits of these 2 measures of psychopathy and the validation of the PPI for clinical use. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)