The Rorschach and Violent Crime

Abstract

Abstract. Over the years, a significant number of Rorschach studies have been conducted with forensic adult and adolescent samples, partly motivated by the use of the test in forensic psychological evaluations. Could the Rorschach, as a performance-based personality assessment tool, provide unique information that is not as vulnerable to distortion on the part of the examinee as self-report measures are? This article provides a review of Rorschach studies on relevant Rorschach variables, including those with different forensic samples. Empirical findings are mixed; there is not a one-on-one relationship between certain Rorschach variables and forensically relevant traits, such as psychopathy or hostility. This does not mean the Rorschach cannot provide useful information in answering psychological questions before the court. A case illustration of a male college student, who committed a (first) violent offense, illustrates the unique contribution of the Rorschach for understanding the psychological dynamics behind a violent act that was seemingly out of character.

A Commentary on “The Rorschach and Violent Crime” (de Ruiter, 2021)

“…As Heilbrun and Locklair (2016) noted, there is more overlap between clinical and forensic assessment of juveniles because of the focus on rehabilitation. In some US jurisdictions, as well as in some countries outside the US, the referral questions are broader, and the psychologist is expected to provide a comprehensive evaluation that addresses multiple questions.…”

Celebrating 100 Years

“…Corine de Ruiter takes us into the courtroom with a case study of a 20-year-old man accused of attempted manslaughter (de Ruiter, 2021). She introduces her case by reviewing the research on violent crime and the Rorschach, noting that it provides "a mixed picture."…”

“…It is therefore very fitting to have a discussion of the use of the Rorschach in the assessment of treatment outcome from Filippo Aschieri and Giulia Pascarella (Aschieri & Pascarella, 2021). They take as their starting point a metaanalysis by Grønnerød (2004) and provide us with an update. Their discussants, Christopher Hopwood, Mathew Yalch and Xiaochen Luo, respond with a tightly reasoned critique of methodology and recommendations for future research (Hopwood et al, 2021).…”

“…Corine de Ruiter takes us into the courtroom with a case study of a 20-year-old man accused of attempted manslaughter (de Ruiter, 2021). She introduces her case by reviewing the research on violent crime and the Rorschach, noting that it provides “a mixed picture.” Anita Boss is the discussant and she picks up on the point that the Rorschach cannot be used to predict violent acts; it comes into its own as a clinical tool when the psychologist needs to advise on treatment.…”