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A Rorschach comparison of psychopathic and nonpsychopathic conduct disordered adolescents
Author(s) -
Smith Andrew M.,
Gacono Carl B.,
Kaufman Lynn
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-4679(199706)53:4<289::aid-jclp1>3.0.co;2-l
Subject(s) - rorschach test , psychology , psychopathy , psychopathy checklist , anxiety , clinical psychology , developmental psychology , antisocial personality disorder , poison control , injury prevention , personality , psychiatry , social psychology , medicine , environmental health
Abstract Forty‐eight male subjects who met the DSM‐IV (APA, 1994) criteria for conduct disorder (CD) were assessed for psychopathy level using a modified version of the Psychopathy Checklist‐Revised (PCL‐R; Forth, Hart, & Hare, 1990). Rorschach variables associated with self‐perception, affects, and object relations, early behavioral problems and history of violence were compared between psychopathic and nonpsychopathic CD adolescents. Psychopathic CD subjects were significantly more self‐centered and violent than nonpsychopathic CD subjects. Decreased attachment and anxiety were found in both CD groups. Our study adds empirical support to the heterogeneity noted among CD adolescents (PCL‐R), supports the utility of the Rorschach for detecting individual differences among CD subjects, and extends the empirical work of Gacono and Meloy (1994) to adolescent psychopathy. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Psychol 53 : 289–300, 1997.