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Updated: Jul 17, 2026
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The Resident-intruder Paradigm: A Standardized Test for Aggression, Violence and Social Stress
Published on: July 4, 2013
[Personality factors in relation to violent crimes]
Margarita Ortiz-Tallo1, Alfredo Fierro, María José Blanca
1Universidad de Málaga, Spain. mortiztallo@uma.es
Psicothema
|February 14, 2007
Summary
Violent offenders do not have a basic personality profile based on the "Big Five" factors. However, the Millon Model identified two behavioral patterns: "Dependent with compulsive traits" and "Psychopath tendencies," linked to mental health indicators.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Context:
- Evaluates personality factors in 54 individuals incarcerated for violent crimes.
- Compares findings to a normative group to identify deviations.
- Examines personality on three levels: Big Five factors, personality disorders, and psychological health indicators.
Purpose:
- To determine if a basic personality profile exists for violent offenders using the Big Five model.
- To identify specific behavioral patterns within this population using the Millon Model.
- To explore the relationship between personality traits and mental health in violent delinquents.
Summary:
- The Big Five personality factors did not yield a distinct profile for violent offenders.
- Application of the Millon Model revealed two prevalent behavioral patterns: 'Dependent with compulsive traits' and 'Psychopath tendencies'.
- Both identified patterns correlate with indicators of mental health, suggesting a link between personality and psychological well-being in this group.
Impact:
- Challenges the use of the Big Five for basic profiling of violent offenders.
- Provides a more nuanced understanding of personality structures in incarcerated individuals.
- Offers potential insights for targeted psychological interventions and risk assessment in forensic settings.
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