Temperament Profiles of Alcoholic Violent Offenders
Author Information
Author(s): Roope Tikkanen, Matti Holi, Nina Lindberg, Matti Virkkunen
Primary Institution: Department of Psychiatry, University of Helsinki
Hypothesis
The study aims to test Cloninger's hypothesis of dimensional temperament deviation in alcoholic ASPD and its connection to severe violence.
Conclusion
The study found that different types of antisocial personality disorder in alcoholic violent offenders are associated with distinct traits and types of violent criminality.
Supporting Evidence
- The temperament profile of violent offenders with ASPD typically includes high novelty seeking and high harm avoidance.
- Low harm avoidance offenders committed less impulsive violence than high harm avoidance offenders.
- High harm avoidance was associated with comorbid antisocial personality disorder and borderline personality disorder.
Takeaway
This study looks at how the personalities of violent offenders who drink alcohol can be different, which helps us understand why they commit different types of crimes.
Methodology
Participants were assessed using the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire and diagnosed with DSM-III-R criteria during a court-ordered mental examination.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the self-selection of control participants and the desire for judicial benefit among offenders who chose not to complete the TPQ.
Limitations
The sample was a selected group of males with substantial psychopathology, limiting generalizability to other populations.
Participant Demographics
The sample comprised 198 male violent offenders, with a mean age of 30.7 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = .002
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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