Carl B. Gacono

A Rorschach comparison of psychopaths, sexual homicide perpetrators, and nonviolent pedophiles: Where angels fear to tread

Nonsexually offending psychopaths (N = 32) were compared to sexual homicide perpetrators (N = 38) and nonviolent pedophiles (N = 39) on select Comprehensive System Rorschach variables (Exner et al., 1993). Results indicate similarities among the groups in pathological narcissism, formal thought disorder, and borderline level reality testing. Nonsexually offending psychopaths are distinguished by their lack of interest in and attachment to others and their seemingly conflict-free internal world. While both sexually deviant groups evidenced interest in others and appear to experience a very dysphoric internal world, the sexual homicide perpetrators are distinguished by high levels of obsessional thought and an inability to disengage from environmental stimuli. Pedophiles show significantly more characterological anger, which may stem from their general inadequacy, cognitive rigidness, less alloplastic (acting out) style, and their introversive inability to gratify their needs. Rorschach differences add to our understanding of sexual deviation and violence among these three groups.

A Rorschach investigation of narcissism and hysteria in antisocial personality

We investigated Rorschach responses associated with narcissism and hysteria in a group of antisocial personality disordered offenders. The Rorschach protocols of 42 subjects who met the criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd ed., rev. [DSM-III-R]; American Psychiatric Association, 1987) for antisocial personality disorder were analyzed using Exners (1986) criteria for pairs, reflections, and personal responses, and Gaconos (1988) criteria for the impressionistic response. Severe, or primary psychopaths (n = 21), scoring greater than or equal to 30 on the Hare (1980) Psychopathy Checklist (PCL), were compared to moderate, or secondary pscyhopaths (n = 21), scoring less than 30 on the PCL. The mean number of pair and impressionistic responses did not significantly differ for the two antisocial groups. The highly psychopathic group, however, did exhibit a significantly greater mean number of reflection and personal responses. We discuss pair and reflection responses and their relationship to narcissism in psychopathic disturbance. We recommend interpreting the personal response within the context of the psychopathic character and view personal responses as expressions of narcissism and omnipotence in highly psychopathic subjects. We also hypothesize that the impressionistic responses are indicative of primitive dissociative processes and hysteria in psychopathic subjects, and that their presence provides construct validity for the work of Guze (1976) and others who suggested an underlying histrionic dimension to psychopathy.

The relationship between cognitive style and defensive process in the psychopath

The authors review Yochelson and Samenows (1977) model of the criminal mind. They propose a levels hypothesis for understanding the relationship among object relations, defensive operations, and the conscious cognitive-behavioral style of the psychopath. They advocate the addition of an explicit psychodynamic dimension to Yochelson and Samenows model. A hypothetical case is presented to illustrate the relationship between unconscious defense process and conscious cognitive-behavioral style of the psychopathic personality.

The Rorschach Extended Aggression Scores

The Extended Aggression Scores were developed to quantify the aggressive Rorschach imagery produced by violent Antisocial Personality Disordered (ASPD; American Psychiatric Association, 1980) offenders. Despite their histories of real world violence, these subjects produced few Aggressive Movement (AG; Exner, 1993) responses. Why didn’t violent children, adolescents, and adults produce more AG responses? Considering their expression of uncensored pleasurable affect when relating their aggressive acts during their interviews, conscious censoring (Exner, 1993; Meloy, 1988) did not adequately explain the paucity of AG responses among sentenced adults. Why would they describe their violent acts with pride and bravado during an interview and subsequently censor AG on the Rorschach? Conscious censoring among the Conduct Disorder (CD) children and adolescents, who frequently produced sexual content, seemed an equally unlikely explanation (Gacono, 1997). Earlier Rorschach research (Holt & Havel, 1960; Rapaport, G...

Rorschach Research and the Psychodiagnosis of Antisocial and Psychopathic Personalities

Depuis des decennies, les cliniciens se sont interesses a l’utilisation du Rorschach dans le diagnostic de la psychopathie. Pourtant, c’est seulement depuis une quinzaine d’annees que ce type d’investigation est devenue vraiment pertinente a travers des recherches valides et fiables, grâce aux progres realises dans l’evaluation de la psychopathie et la technologie du Rorschach. En 1984, armes de cette “nouvelle” technologie, nous avons entame nos recherches sur les personnalites antisociales et psychopathiques. Utilisant le Trouble de la Personnalite Antisociale (TPA) et la Psychopathie comme mesures independantes, et les variables Rorschach comme mesures dependantes, nous avons tente de comprendre le continuum antisocial d’un point de vue psychodynamique et developpemental, tout en tenant compte des aspects psychobiologiques, psychodynamiques et de style cognitif. Nous avons pose plusieurs questions: le Rorschach peut-il “etablir la carte” du fonctionnement de la personnalite et de la structure intrapsyc...