Abstract :
[en] NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOPATHY:
STUDY ON A SAMPLE OF BELGIAN FORENSIC PATIENTS
Vicenzutto, A.1, Gosselin, L.1, Pham, T.1,2, Lefebvre, L.1
1.UMONS, Mons
2. Centre de Recherche en Défense Sociale, Tournai
Abstract :
Introduction: Studies investigating the neuropsychological functions showed no strong deficit correlated with the psychopathic personality disorder (Hare, 1984). However, one study (Pham et al, 2003) among a population of inmates highlights that psychopathic individuals made more mistakes at the D2 test and the Stroop Test. This results supporting the hypothesis of a deficit of selective attention and behavior inhibition.
Method: Our study ibnclude 25 forensic patients from the secure hospital Les Marronniers (Tournai). The mean age is 46.38 years (σ = 9.65). All patients were evaluated at the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R, Hare, 2003). We administred the Tower of London, the Modified Card Sorting Test, the Stroop, the D2 and the Trail Making Test, in order to assess executive and attentional functions
Results: We performed nonparametric correlations between the PCL-R factors and the scores at the neuropsychological tests. No significant correlation was found between the PCL-R factor scores and the scores at the Modified Card Sorting Test, the Trail Making Test and D2 tests. However, we found significant correlations between the number of errors on the Stroop Test and Antisocial behavior factor of PCL-R, particularly with the impulsive and parasitic lifestyle. Another correlation was found between the Interpersonal facet and the total time at the Tower of London test.
Discussion: These results are congruent with the literature among antisocial individuals (Morgan and Lilienfeld, 2000; Pham et al, 2003). The results will be discussed on the light of international literature on psychopathy.
Keywords (3): psychopathy, neuropsychology, forensic patient
