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[Self-rating scales reveal psychopathy]
1Avdelningen för biologisk psykologi, Stockholms universitet.
Lakartidningen
|March 11, 1998
Summary
Psychopathy is viewed as a spectrum, measurable by validated personality scales. This dimensional approach links various personality concepts and aids in understanding brain function impairments.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
Context:
- Psychopathy is increasingly understood as a dimensional trait rather than a categorical diagnosis.
- This perspective allows for quantitative measurement and exploration of psychopathy's biological underpinnings.
- Research links psychopathy to alterations in serotonergic function within the brain.
Purpose:
- To review and integrate various personality inventories used for measuring psychopathy.
- To connect historical and contemporary, as well as Swedish and international, personality assessment concepts.
- To highlight the utility of personality scales in psychopathy research.
Summary:
- The article discusses psychopathy as a dimensional concept, quantifiable through validated personality scales.
- Several established inventories are presented, including the Karolinska Scales of Personality, Zuckerman Sensation Seeking Scales, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, and the Marke-Nyman Personality Temperament scale.
- These scales facilitate the integration of diverse personality theories and assessment methods.
Impact:
- Personality scales offer a stable and valid method for assessing psychopathy.
- This approach enhances the ability to study the relationship between psychopathy and neurobiological factors, such as serotonergic function.
- The integration of various scales provides a comprehensive framework for psychopathy research.