Assessing Psychopathy Among Male and Female Alcoholic Offenders: Gender Specific Treatment Considerations

Abstract

Alcohol dependence continues to be an escalating problem among the U.S. male and female criminal offender population, many of whom carry a concurrent diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder (psychopathy). Accurate diagnosis of psychopathy is a difficult task among alcoholic offenders because of their antisocial behavior while intoxicated. In this study, 128 male and female alcoholic offenders were assessed for psychopathy using the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised diagnostic instrument. Results show significant differences between the psychopathic (n = 26) and nonpsychopathic (n = 102) groups which have implications for applying gender specific interventions to generic substance abuse treatment programs. Female psychopathic alcoholic offenders would benefit from interventions aimed at: violence prevention, vocational training, safe sex education, emotional abuse, and escape risks. Male psychopathic alcoholic offenders would benefit from interventions aimed at: relapse prevention, sexual abuse, violence prevention, parole failures, and escape risks.