A multidimensional approach to criminal disorders: The assessment of impulsivity and its relation to crime

Abstract

Ten personality factors were derived from an extensive psychological test battery administered to 201 patients on criminal wards at a mental hospital. Factors were identified as anxiety (U.I. 24), assertiveness (U.I. 16), self-assuredness (U.I. 28), realism (U.I. 25), mobilization (U.I. 23), stolidness (U.I. 30), objectivity (U.I. 20), inhibition (U.I. 17), and passiveness (U.I. 18). Cluster analysis grouped patients into four categories: (i) ‘primary/secondary’ and (ii) ‘subcultural’ psychopaths, both low on inhibition; and (iii) ‘overcontrolled’ and (iv) ‘violent aggressive’ groups, both high on inhibition. Primary psychopaths and overcontrolled patients were higher on realism, mobilization, and objectivity. Different patterns of age, sex, intelligence, personality and criminal records supported the interpretation of these clusters. Low inhibition (along with assertiveness and mobilization) was associated with ‘crimes without deterrents’ and high inhibition (along with stolidness, low mobilization, and low realism) with ‘crimes of passion’. Discriminant analyses for crimes correctly classified about 65% of patients, but for more infrequent crimes, there were twice as many false positives as actual offenders. In one, two and three year follow-ups, recidivists showed more stolidness (U.I. 30) and more subcultural conformity (U.I. 20—). Violent recidivists were less expressive (U.I. 28) than other groups. From the WAIS, neuropsychological tests, and neurological diagnoses, the suggestion is made that frontal-temporal impairments show decrements in assertiveness and realism, while more diffuse impairments would affect mobilization. High rather than low inhibition was more likely to be associated with impairment, typically lateralized to the right hemisphere.