Journal article
How useful are indices of personality pathology when assessing domestic violence perpetrators?
Psychological Assessment, Vol.23(1), pp.164-173
2011
Abstract
There has been considerable debate about profiling personality pathology when assessing and treating male perpetrators of domestic violence (DV). This study used the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI-III) to explore the severity and diversity of male perpetrator personality pathology and response bias in a group of DV perpetrators being assessed for a treatment program (N = 177). We analyzed the sample using the interpretive guidelines of White and Gondolf (2000); 54% of profiles in our sample fell into categories indicative of a personality disorder, and 37% of the total sample provided profiles indicative of severe personality pathology. These percentages were higher than White and Gondolf's findings but lower than some others. There was considerable diversity of personality pathology as well, supporting the contention that there is no one male DV perpetrator profile. Because of debate concerning the manner of responding on self-report instruments, we paid special attention to response biases in our sample. Twenty-six percent of our sample exaggerated (12%) or minimized (14%) their responses. We also found that response biases on the MCMI-III Modifying Indices were related to self-reported severity of psychopathology. This suggests that assessing severity of psychopathology is inadequate without reference to such biases.
Details
- Title
- How useful are indices of personality pathology when assessing domestic violence perpetrators?
- Authors/Creators
- P. Gibbons (Author/Creator) - Department of Relationship Counselling, Anglicare WA, Perth, Australia.M.A. Collins (Author/Creator) - Murdoch UniversityC. Reid (Author/Creator) - School of Psychological Science
- Publication Details
- Psychological Assessment, Vol.23(1), pp.164-173
- Publisher
- American Psychological Association
- Identifiers
- 991005544694107891
- Copyright
- © 2011 American Psychological Association
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Psychology
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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- Citation topics
- 6 Social Sciences
- 6.24 Psychiatry & Psychology
- 6.24.858 Intimate Partner Violence
- Web Of Science research areas
- Psychology, Clinical
- ESI research areas
- Psychiatry/Psychology