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Frightening, yet fascinating -

The term "psychopath" is one that can equally instill both fear and fascination. For years, psychopaths have been depicted in TV and film almost exclusively as violent criminals.

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Real-life disorder -

But psychopathy is not reserved for fiction. In fact, it is a real antisocial personality disorder that is believed to affect 1-2% of the general population.

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Lack of empathy -

There are various competing definitions of psychopathy, but generally it is understood as a neuropsychiatric disorder where an individual shows low levels of empathy or remorse.

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Common consequence -

Often, although not always, a psychopath’s inability to feel empathy or remorse will result in antisocial and/or criminal behavior.

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Lack of research -

Due to a lack of research on the condition, we still don’t know much about psychopathy in general. And there is a particular knowledge gap in understanding psychopathy in women.

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Psychopathy in women -

People often believe that psychopathy is more prevalent among men. Indeed, there are existing studies to suggest that this is the case.

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Statistics -

Research suggests, for example, that 15-25% of male prisoners are psychopaths, whereas for female prisoners the rate is 10-12%.

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Poorly understood -

However, psychopathy is still woefully understudied in the general population. There is a serious lack of research conducted specifically on women.

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The problem with testing -

Some experts suggest that research may show a higher prevalence of psychopathy among men, simply because of how the testing for the condition was devised.

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The PCL-R -

The most frequently used tool for diagnosing psychopathy is the so-called "PCL-R," which was first devised by Canadian psychologist Robert Hare in the 1970s.

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Developing the scale - Hare's psychopathy scale was originally developed by looking at the character traits of a male prison population in British Columbia.

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Still used today -

Adaptations of that same scale are now used to identify psychopathy in the general global population, including in women and children.

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Subpar tool -

However, certain experts in the field suggest that this may not be the best tool for diagnosing psychopathy in all subsets of the population. Therefore, data on psychopathy in women may be skewed as a result.

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Sliding scale -

Another common misconception about psychopathy, applicable for both men and women, is that a person either is or is not a psychopath.

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Spectrum disorder -

Psychopathy is a spectrum disorder, like autism or anxiety. This means that psychopathic traits vary across people from mild to extreme.

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Severe psychopathy -

Severe psychopathy can cause significant impairment and is believed to affect around 1% of children and adults in the United States today.

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Mild psychopathy -

Mild psychopathy, however, is much more difficult to properly identify. A person may seem friendly and well-adjusted, while they are actually behaving in ways that are deceptive, manipulative, or physically harmful.

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Cause -

Scientists are still unclear as to what causes psychopathy, but it is widely believed to be a neurodevelopmental disorder.

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Neurodevelopmental disorder -

This means that the symptoms of psychopathy, which can be cognitive, emotional, and behavioral, may start to emerge as the result of abnormal early brain development.

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Other examples -

Other neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia, have historically received much more attention.

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Psychopathy and physical violence -

Although psychopathy increases the risk of antisocial and aggressive behavior, psychopaths are not always physically violent.

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No hard and fast rule -

However, just as not all psychopaths are physically violent, the opposite is also true: not all physically violent people are psychopaths.

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Violence in female psychopaths -

Furthermore, women who exhibit psychopathic tendencies are less likely to engage in physically violent behavior than men.

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2005 study -

Indeed, according to one study from 2005, female psychopaths tended to show traits such as impulsiveness, thrill-seeking in interpersonal relationships, and verbal aggression.

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Male violence -

Their male counterparts, by contrast, tended to present with physical violence and aggression. Unfortunately, the study did not comment on why this may be the case.

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Treatment -

The final, and arguably most important, misconception about psychopathy is that it cannot be treated. Many people believe that psychopaths will always be that way.

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Therapy -

Research shows, however, that a person’s ability to feel empathy and remorse can be enhanced via family and behavioral therapy.

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Options -

Treatment can often improve outcomes later in life, both for people with psychopathy and for those living in proximity to them.

Sources: (BBC) (Psychopathy Is)

See also: The world's most infamous serial killers

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