Childhood maltreatment, school-related problems and psychopathic traits among offenders admitted to forensic psychiatric care

• Childhood maltreatment and school-related problems are both related to psychopathy among juvenile delinquents and prisoners. Whether maltreatment and school-related problems are associated or not with psychopathy among forensic psychiatric patients is unclear. Therefore, our aim was to investigate a) the prevalence of childhood maltreatment and school-related problems among offenders admitted to forensic psychiatric care, and b) how both childhood maltreatment and school-related problems were associated with psychopathy among these offenders. We conducted a register study on 21 female and 96 male offenders who had been admitted to forensic psychiatric care and then been discharged from the high-security hospital. Psychopathy assessments were conducted with the PCL:SV. Data on childhood maltreatment and school-related problems were collected from forensic psychiatric investigations. The results showed that neglect or abuse was experienced by 50% of the female and 40% of the male offenders. Childhood sexual abuse was more prevalent among female offenders with psychopathic traits than without (67% vs 14%). Male offenders with psychopathic traits had experienced emotional abuse more prevalent than male offenders without such traits (40% vs 14%). More male offenders had some type of school-related problems (learning problems, behaviour problems, remedial class and/or being bullied at school) than the female offenders (79% vs 45%). The school-related problems were more preva-lent among male offenders with psychopathic traits than among offenders without (93% vs 66%). Behaviour problems at school were more prevalent among both female and male offenders with psychopathic traits compared to those without. In line with previous research on male offenders, childhood maltreatment was also related to psychopathy among forensic psychiatric patients. Our results, like others, speak for gender differences in the development and manifestation of psychopathy among male and female offenders admitted to forensic psychiatric care.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Psykologi

Psychology

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