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Are patients deemed 'dangerous and severely personality disordered' different from other personality disordered patients detained in forensic settings?
Howard, Richard C. Khalifa, Najat Duggan, Conor
Howard, Richard C.
Khalifa, Najat
Duggan, Conor
Abstract
Background: In 1999, the UK government initiated a programme for the assessment and treatment of individuals deemed to have 'dangerous and severe personality disorder' (DSPD). After over 10 years of specialist service development, it is not clear whether DSPD patients represent a distinct group.; Aims: The aim of this study was to establish whether people admitted to DSPD hospital units could be distinguished in presentation or personality traits from people with personality disorder admitted to standard secure hospital services.; Methods: Thirty-eight men detained in high-security hospital DSPD units were compared with 62 men detained in conventional medium or high security hospital units, using the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) and other standard personality disorder, clinical and offending measures.; Results: Compared with their counterparts in standard services, the DSPD group had higher scores on PCL-R psychopathy, significantly more convictions before age 18 years, greater severity of institutional violence and more prior crimes of sexual violence. Regression analysis confirmed that only PCL-R Factor 1, reflecting core interpersonal and affective features of psychopathy, predicted group membership.; Conclusion: The DSPD group emerged as having higher psychopathy scores, but as there is currently no evidence that the core personality features of psychopathy are amenable to treatment, there is little justification for treating high-psychopathy forensic patients differently from those with other disorders of personality.; Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Date
2012
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Article
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Dangerous and severe personality disorder, Personality disorders, Psychopathology, Checklist, High security facilities
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Howard, R. C., Khalifa, N., Duggan, C. & Lumsden, J. (2012). Are patients deemed 'dangerous and severely personality disordered' different from other personality disordered patients detained in forensic settings? Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health, 22 (1), pp.65-78.
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This is the pre-peer reviewed version of the following article: Howard, R. C., Khalifa, N., Duggan, C. & Lumsden, J. (2012). Are patients deemed 'dangerous and severely personality disordered' different from other personality disordered patients detained in forensic settings? Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health, 22 (1), pp.65-78, which has been published in final form at https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cbm.827. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.