This study sought to identify, among a sample of 224 community residents with DSM-diagnosed personality disorder (PD), those personality and criminal history features associated with a combination of antisocial and borderline PDs (APD/BPD). After identifying first- and higher-order factors through factor analysis of IPDE item scores, forensic history and personality correlates of the identified higher-order factors were identified using regression analysis. Those having APD/BPD were more likely than the remainder to have received a conviction for violence and a custodial sentence. They showed higher trait anger and impulsivity and a greater history of aggression, and scored significantly higher on a higher-order "psychopathy" factor. In contrast, anankastic traits were inversely related to criminal history variables. It is concluded that APD/BPD represents a particularly criminogenic blend of traits likely to be overrepresented in high-secure forensic samples, and underrepresented in community PD samples. Future research should address the mechanisms through which PDs are related to criminality.

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The Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder (DSPD) initiative in England and Wales provides specialized care to high-risk offenders with mental disorders. This study investigated the predictive utility of personality traits, assessed using the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) and the International Personality Disorder Examination, with 44 consecutive admissions to the DSPD unit at a high-security forensic psychiatric hospital. Incidents of interpersonal physical aggression (IPA) were observed for 39% of the sample over an average 1.5-year period following admission. Histrionic personality disorder (PD) predicted IPA, and Histrionic, Borderline, and Antisocial PDs all predicted repetitive (2+ incidents of) IPA. PCL-R Factor 1 and Facets 1 and 2 were also significant predictors of IPA. PCL-R Factor 1 and Histrionic PD scores were significantly associated with imminence of IPA. Results were discussed in terms of the utility of personality traits in risk assessment and treatment of specially selected high-risk forensic psychiatric patients in secure settings.

The potentiometer-based electrogoniometer is a reliable instrument for determining cervical range of motion. Measurements appear to be more valid when the thoracic reference point is physically attached to the study participant's body. The original software provided with the system appears to have contributed to systematic overestimation of ranges of motion, but current units provide measurements that are both reliable and valid.

UKPurpose. Treatments and risk assessments determined by the offence paralleling behaviour (OPB) framework appear to have found a place in practice well ahead of empirical support and conceptual clarity. Although the framework is intuitively appealing its inappropriate use may have profound negative implications for patients. Incapacitation and unnecessary treatments may be demanded when observed behaviours are interpreted as evidence of persistent pathology related to previous patterns of criminal offending. Conversely, behaviours occurring within institutions that are not topographically similar but that fall within the same response class and do represent the continuation of problematic patterns of behaviour may be ignored if observers are not sensitive to the possibility that problem behaviours, albeit muted, may persist within institutions.Methods. This paper presents a study examining the similarity of personality disordered patients' violent index acts with their aggressive behaviour during hospitalization.Results. Results revealed evidence of cross situational similarity for some but not all aggressive behaviours.Conclusion. These results provide support for the OPB framework. However, the lack of similarity on a significant number of incidents indicates a need for thorough, structured analysis to determine whether an aggressive behaviour observed in an institution parallels violent acts preceding incarceration.