Narrowing the scope of psychopathy in explanations of offending

Although not explicitly listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), psychopathy is considered a personality disorder (Hare, Hart & Harpur, 1991) characterised by impairment in behavioural, interpersonal, and emotional domains of functioning (Cleckley, 1976; Cooke, Hart, Logan & Michie, 2012; Hare, 2003). Behaviourally, individuals characterised by psychopathic personality disturbances ¹ (PPD) are impulsive, risk taking, and engage in a variety of behaviours, often criminal, to satisfy sensation-seeking drives. Interpersonally, individuals with PPD are grandiose, manipulative, and demonstrate deceitfulness, insincerity, and parasitic orientation. In terms of affect, individuals with PPD are callous, demonstrate a lack of empathy, and are detached or uncommitted to others (e.g., Cleckley, 1976; Cooke et al., 2012; Lynam, 1996). Importantly, these features must remain stable across the life course and manifest across different relationships and social contexts.