Emotional Experiences of the Psychopath

The Efficacy of a Compassion-Focused Therapy–Based Intervention in Reducing Psychopathic Traits and Disruptive Behavior: A Clinical Case Study With a Juvenile Detainee

“…In detail, if the human brain is evolutionarily designed to survive and thrive in adverse environments, when individuals are raised in hostile psychosocial backgrounds, as are most juvenile detainees, their brains also become calibrated for such environments (Abram et al, 2015; Vagos, Ribeiro da Silva, Brazão, & Rijo, 2018; Vagos, Ribeiro da Silva, Brazão, Rijo, & Gilbert, 2016, 2017). Thus, these youth tend to present an overdeveloped threat system, which functions mostly according to survival principles (e.g., “better safe than sorry”), as well as central emotional dysfunctions (e.g., Garofalo, Neumann, & Velotti, 2018; Kosson, Vitacco, Swogger, & Steuerwald, 2016). These emotional dysfunctions comprise, among others, high levels of shame and shame regulation problems; that is, shame seems to be massively externalized by compensation (GM traits), avoidance (CU traits), and/or attack mechanisms (II traits) (Del Giudice & Ellis, 2015; Nystrӧm & Mikkelsen, 2012; Ribeiro da Silva, Vagos, & Rijo, 2019; Shirtcliff et al, 2009).…”

“…Namely, some clinicians and researchers may argue that this approach may help to cover-up or worsen psychopathic traits more efficiently than other treatment approaches, allowing youth to more successfully achieve their antisocial goals. However, if we take into account recent research conceptualizing psychopathic traits as an adaptive response that masks central emotional dysfunctions and a shameful nucleus (Garofalo et al, 2018; Kosson et al, 2016; Ribeiro da Silva et al, 2015; Ribeiro da Silva, Vagos, & Rijo, 2019), PSYCHOPATHY.COMP might be an effective alternative to address and reduce psychopathic traits and disruptive behaviors. In detail, and as verified in this case study, psychopathic traits may be conceptualized as a mask of invulnerability that externalizes unpleasant emotions by compensation (GM traits), avoidance (CU traits), and/or attack mechanisms (II traits) (Ribeiro da Silva, Vagos, & Rijo, 2019).…”

Associations Between Psychopathy and the Trait Meta-Mood Scale in Incarcerated Males: A Combined Latent Variable- and Person-Centered Approach

“…In contrast to studies on emotional reactivity, recognition, and processing, only few studies have examined associations between psychopathy and trait ER (Garofalo & Neumann, 2018; Kosson et al, 2016). In these studies, both the interpersonal–affective and the antisocial–lifestyle traits of psychopathy were related with lower levels of ER across different populations (i.e., community and prison samples) and different psychopathy measures (i.e., self-report and clinician-rated) based on Hare’s (2003) Psychopathy Checklist—Revised (PCL-R) conceptualization.…”

What Can Philosophers Learn from Psychopathy?

“…For one, there is now general agreement that psychopathy comes in two types: primary and secondary, or low-anxious and high-anxious (e.g. Hicks et al 2004;Kosson et al 2016). This division is significant because the behavior of particular interest to researchers-immoral and criminal behavior-appears to spring from at least partially different causes in the two groups.…”

“…As a matter of fact, psychopathy is predictive of aggression in inpatient settings, whether reactive or instrumental (Stafford and Cornell 2003). Since secondary or high-anxious psychopaths are known for their reactive aggression (Kosson et al 2016;Swogger et al 2010), Blair's account is less suited to explain psychopathy per se than primary psychopathy specifically. After all, the explanation for high levels of reactive aggression is notably different from that provided by Blair for the high levels of instrumental aggression.…”