Recognizing psychopathy in early childhood behaviour

Recognizing psychopathy in early childhood behaviour : 

Recognizing psychopathy in early childhood behaviour Traits, origins and possible treatments

Sociopath vs Psychopath: 

Sociopath vs Psychopath A sociopath and a psychopath appear to be one and the same. However sociologists believe that a sociopath is made into an anti-social personality, whereas criminologists and psychologists believe psychopaths may be created internally. Some behaviourists believe psychopathy is genetic and that people are born with a psychopathy. Also the sociopath tends to be less organized in his or her demeanour , and is someone likely living on the fringes of society, without solid or consistent economic support.

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Psychopaths Sociopaths Orderly and neat Disorderly and scattered Hold grudges longer than non-psychopaths Due to a “scatter-brain” are unable to hold grudges for long Normal or e xtraordinary amount of patience Little or no patience Will wait years if they think they need to commit a successful crime Need immediate self-gratification and become aggressive/dangerous without it Will become offended or pretend to be offended - if someone they approve of is maligned – may seek to harm or murder the offender Do not obsess over imagined or real wrongs committed against them for long Much more likely to stalk people than other anti-social personalities Live on the fringes of society and seldom obsess over others

Narcissism vs Psychopathy: 

Narcissism vs Psychopathy Narcissists and psychopaths manipulate for personal gain; lack empathy and a conscience; easily break laws to obtain their wants; need to control others; prey on people’s emotions; arrogant and antagonistic; use people until they fulfill their own needs then disappear; seek constant opportunity to manipulate and damage others’ self-esteem; may have a position of power and prestige in society; are orderly; hold grudges more than non-psychopaths. Unlike psychopaths, narcissists attempt humility in order to extract further personal and emotional gain; they don’t do anything out of human kindness but to gain admiration; they idealize their mothers since she flattered them excessively as children; they delight in cruelty and chaos but not to the extreme of a psychopath, they do not exhibit cruelty towards animals for instance, or they enjoy witnessing a fight but not participating in it. Watch Narcissist Mother’s Pet: her child.

Narcissism vs Sociopathy : 

Narcissism vs Sociopathy The differences in sociopaths and narcissists: narcissists have delusions of grandeur and self-love yet despise themselves; do not live on the fringes of society; have patience; believe themselves to be extraordinary unlike other people; require constant praise and admiration; sociopaths are scatter-minded; require quick satisfaction; become aggressive and sometimes violent without immediate self-gratification; are disorderly. . Similarities: Narcissists lack empathy and a conscience; they manipulate others for personal gain; they deceive others into believing they have genuine care or love for them; they enjoy the suffering of others; hate to be judged as evil; desire to be praised and flattered.

Childhood and Psychopathic Behaviour: 

Childhood and Psychopathic Behaviour A child below the age of 18 is not usually labelled a psychopath. Children may be observed displaying anti-social traits but the label psychopath is deemed inappropriate until adulthood. Most antisocial behaviours in children are caused by poor parenting —absent fathers and inadequate mothers who fail to properly socialize their child. Watch psychopath – psychology – documentary part 4

clinical guidelines: 

c linical guidelines Clinicians have determined that in order to be classified as a psychopath an individual must: Be at least 18 years of age Have been diagnosed with conduct disorder by the age of 15 The occurrence of anti-social acts is not exclusively during symptoms of schizophrenia or a manic episode.

origins: 

origins It may not be as simple as examining a child’s family environment and patterns of abuse to determine this as the cause of the child’s anti-social traits. Many children are exposed to trauma and abuse yet they do not become psychopaths. It is more likely that a genetic predisposition also must exist in the child in order for her to develop psychopathy. A 1956 Hollywood movie entitled The Bad Seed declared child psychopathy was inherited rather than conditioned into the child. Watch the bad seed – leroy vs rhoda Watch Effects of Child Abuse

Children and Character Disturbance: 

Children and Character Disturbance These children have a character disturbance . They devalue others and lack a sense of morality . Such incidents have made it increasingly clear that psychopathy is not exclusively an adult manifestation. In fact, some child development experts believe that childhood psychopathy is increasing at an alarming rate. Watch Give back my shoes

Conduct disorder: 

Conduct disorder A child who is diagnosed with conduct disorder is a budding psychopath . Frequently such children are known to: Torture people Torture small animals Deceive others Take enjoyment from others’ suffering Blame others for their misbehaviour A diagnosis of CD in early childhood usually becomes anti-social behaviour by the mid-teens. Watch children psychopaths? Conduct Disorder

The Martha Moxley Murder: 

It took 27 years to bring Martha Moxley’s 15-year-old murderer, Michael Skakel , to justice. Michael was one of 6 children born to a wealthy family in New Haven, Connecticut. Michael’s mother Anne died when he was 13, leaving the children relatively parentless. Michael’s father, Rushton Skakel , had little time for his children, leaving them with nannies and live-in tutors. The Martha Moxley Murder To try to determine whether a psychopath is somehow hard-wired or is created by family and environment, it's instructive to look at the details of individual cases.

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Tell-Tale Signs Michael was quick-tempered and highly aggressive. He and his older brother Tommy competed with one another for neighbourhood girls, with Michael usually losing to his brother. Michael and Tommy both had an interest in Martha Moxley , who lived a few houses away. Martha admitted to Michael she preferred Tommy. Michael did not take this information well.

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Martha attended a party at the Skakels then left to walk home but never made it. Her body was found beneath a tree on her own property; bludgeoned and stabbed. Michael told police he peeped in Martha’s window, but refused to admit he killed Martha Moxley in a fit of jealousy. Decades later h e was found guilty of Martha’s murder and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

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Analysis of Michael Skakel He tortured small animals and birds. He was prone to violent behaviour and had a bad temper. He blamed himself for his mother’s death and felt deeply ashamed. He was highly competitive with his brother and felt he didn’t measure up. At 13 he became an alcoholic. He was undiagnosed with a learning disability and did poorly at school. He had few friends. Watch The Murderer’s Brain

early intervention: 

e arly intervention When signs of psychopathy are observed in children, intervention must occur at as early an age as possible. Once a child has reached the age of adolescence it is too late to rehabilitate the child. The early formative years determine whether or not a child will develop empathy, a conscience, and the ability to bond with others. A lack of these traits point strongly towards future psychopathy.

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They might not become killers but child psychopaths learn how to manipulate, deceive and exploit others for their own gain. T hey fail to develop affectional bonds that allow them to empathize with others. They develop traits of arrogance, dishonesty, narcissism, shamelessness, and callousness. Watch characteristics of manipulative people

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Wayne is a 45-year-old psychopath incarcerated in the Vermont Penitentiary for the most “disruptive” and pathological criminals in the nation. During childhood, Wayne‘s first contemplation of criminal behaviour was “ getting away with murder ”. Wayne‘s intended victim was his brother. The plan consisted of tormenting his brother by stealing his bicycle and physically assaulting him. Wayne‘s brother chased him up a tree and onto the roof of his grandfather’s barn. On the opposite side of the barn were cutter rigs. Wayne kicked his brother off the roof and onto the rigs below. Watch psychopathy – psychology part 1

Beth Thomas: child of rage: 

Beth T homas: child of rage Beth Thomas began life in a highly abusive household. Her mother died when Beth was 1 year old. Beth and her brother John were fed and bathed only sporadically by their father. At night Beth’s father sexually abused her. Beth developed an extreme case of RAD or reactive attachment disorder . Beth was eventually adopted by a reverend and his wife. By now she manifested such symptoms as an inability to bond with others; several attempts at killing her brother; stealing knives from the kitchen drawer and hiding them around the house. Watch Child of Rage – the documentary Part 1

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Beth exhibited severe symptoms of child psychopathy . She was accepted into an experimental rehabilitation with a therapist trained in working with severely traumatized children. Eventually Beth did recover, developed a sense of empathy and was able to bond with others. However most children with RAD are not so fortunate. Watch RAD Introduction

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Watch Woman Terminates Adoption Due to Inability to Bond Anita and her husband adopted “ D ”, an infant boy who was found abandoned on the side of a road. Several months after D’s arrival into the household the infant was unable to bond with his adoptive parents. 18 months later Anita terminated the adoption, deciding to place D with a “better family, a better mother”. Many have criticized Anita for “abandoning” D, however her defence was that she felt the child would flourish with a different family. Later it was reported D was doing well.

When Adoption Goes Wrong: 

When Adoption Goes Wrong In 2010 a Tennessee mother named Torry Hansen of Shelbyville, shipped her adopted son, 7-year-old Artyem Saviliev back to a Moscow airport with a note in his pocket stating that the boy had severe psychological problems and that she no longer wanted him. "I no longer wish to parent this child ," the note read, calling the boy a liability. "This child is mentally unstable. He is violent and has severe psychopathic issues/behaviours. I was lied to and misled by the Russian Orphanage workers and director regarding his mental stability and other issues." Watch russia urges adoption freeze after boy returned as parcel

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T he child began hitting, kicking and spitting and making threats in January . "He drew a picture of our house burning down and he'll tell anybody that he's going to burn our house down with us in it," Hansen said. "It got to be where you feared for your safety. It was terrible ." Orphans in Russia are often institutionalized and, as a general rule, institutionalized children suffer higher rates of attachment and behavioural disorders . Watch should mother go to jail for sending adopted son to russia alone

Brain Activities: 

Brain Activities Some brain studies suggest that psychopaths have abnormal brain activities. They make certain connections more slowly than other children, show less fear of punishment, and do things that excite their nervous system, such as thrill-seeking behaviours. Psychopathy-related personality traits correlate with difficulty in processing emotional information. Psychopaths over-respond to distracters, showing reduced ability to focus and cognitive deficits in left hemisphere activation. Watch Psychopath mri – general psychology

psychopathic traits: 

It is not difficult to observe disturbing behaviour in young children . In particular this may include: Torturing people and animals Constant lying Manipulation of others Compulsive stealing RAD – reactive attachment disorder Major depressive episodes Psychosomatic illness Born out of wedlock Lack of father figure Reckless disregard for the safety of self and others 11. Lack of remorse or guilt 12. Learning disabilities psychopathic traits Watch Rhoda Penmark – The Bad Seed

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Watch not forgiven: the boys who murdered James Bulger 1/5 The infamous case of James Bulger , the 2-year-old boy who was savagely beaten to death, then sexually mutilated after the act by two 10-year-old boys, shocked people worldwide. The questions on everyone’s mind? Why? How could children commit such a harrowing crime? Again the answer might result in a debate about nature vs nurture .

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Jon Venables was known as a strange student at school. He rocked back and forth, held onto his desk, moaned and made odd noises. Jon’s violence was self-inflicted. He banged his head on the furniture, against the wall, and threw himself on the floor. Jon cut himself with scissors and tore at his own clothing. But sometimes his self-destruction pivoted outward. His strange behavior grew increasingly violent. In one incident, he choked a boy with a wooden ruler. (It took two adults to pry Jon off of the boy.) He was hyper and easily distracted. Mother of james bulger says jon venables is back where he belongs

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Susan and Neil Venables had a tumultuous relationship, splitting apart, then reuniting. After Neil left, Susan and the children lived with her mother , then moved in with Neil again, only to move out to public housing. They both had histories of clinical depression, and Susan had hysterics. She had a “ strict and disciplined ” background, and physically and verbally assaulted Jon. At the age of seven, Jon showed signs of anti-social behaviour . He hated the neighborhood children but once he met Robert, the two became bullies.

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Robert Thompson lived in a brutal environment . At the age of 18, Ann married Robert Thompson Sr ., 18 , to escape severe beatings from her father . Ann pummeled her sons with sticks and belts. She attempted suicide with pill overdoses, but eventually turned to drinking. One brother was an arsonist and suspected of sexually abusing young children including Robert. Extraordinary violence proved to be an effective ticket out of the hellish Thompson household. Watch james bulger funeral

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James did not die easily. It was a violent, prolonged attack. The warning signs in Jon and Robert were always there: abusive families; parents who abused drugs and alcohol; bullying and beatings; bizarre behaviours. Whether or not the boys developed a psychopathy is difficult to say. Their only sign of remorse was that of self-pity, worrying they would go to jail. They regained the role of victim immediately after their arrest. Watch James Bulger - eyes of the detective 2/7

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Richard Kuklinski , the late, notorious Ice Man , an assassin for the Italian Mafia, was raised in a highly abusive household. It is likely his pathology symptoms began in this environment although it may not have been entirely caused by it. Like Gary Gilmore Richard’s father was an extremely angry, violent man who abused Richard and his brother without provocation. He used his fists, belt and other weapons on his young sons, starting at the age of 6. It is possible that there was an element of genetic tendency towards violence since Richard’s parents both were violent, hostile people. RICHARD KUKLINSKI – THE ICE MAN Watch innocence destroyed - part I

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The Kuklinski family lived in a poor neighbourhood where violence and theft was rampant. Richard was frequently bullied by neighbourhood thugs who also beat and verbally abused him. Wherever he turned, he was a victim of severe, unrelenting violence. Finally at 14, this child who learned repeatedly that violence was a way of life, turned against one of his perpetrators and killed him with a knife. He achieved his goal of never being a neighbourhood victim again through murder.

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Psychopaths speak more quietly than non-psychopaths and tend not to differentiate between neutral and affective words, perhaps meaning that they are insensitive to emotional connotations in language. Watch the Iceman (Mafia Hitman )

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His crimes continued through adulthood and became much more severe. Richard was hired as an assassin by the Italian mafia although sometimes he murdered innocent people simply for amusement. When committing a “professional hit” Richard usually froze the bodies of his murder victims in large freezers before disposing of them to make it impossible for pathologists to determine the time the victim was killed However this method later led to his undoing. Watch the childhood of a serial killer

Child psychopaths: 

Child psychopaths Child psychopaths are set apart. They differ in temperament from other children and are at greater risk for delinquency. P sychopathic adolescents respond more strongly to reward than non-psychopaths , and they sustain reward-producing activities for a longer period of time. They show a decreased response to fear imagery and to threats Child and teen psychopaths over-respond to distracters , showing reduced ability to focus and cognitive deficits in left hemisphere activation. Watch Child of rage the documentary – part 3

Gary Gilmore: 

Gary Gilmore A good case study is that of Gary Gilmore , who murdered two young men in cold blood and then refused to appeal his death sentence. He was executed in Utah in 1977. Mikal Gilmore , Gary's younger brother, did an extensive search of his family's history to determine where things went wrong—particularly since of four brothers, Gary was the only outwardly violent one. Mikal traced family secrets, extreme emotional neglect, religious rigidity, and physical abuse that his brothers endured back to his grandparents - both sets of which rejected the two children who grew up to become Gilmore's parents. Mikal showed as well as any psychologist the life history and possible development of an antisocial personality.

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A ll of his family, save he and his older brother, are dead. One child died as an infant, one was stabbed, one by execution, and one wandered away. S evere dysfunction is in this family, and father Frank Gilmore was a con, a gypsy ; an abusive husband and father. Frank had many dark secrets and Bessie was an outcast from her family. She went with Frank across the country as he settled long enough to run a con game and then leave . Frank had married at least half a dozen times and had families scattered in many places. He disappeared without explanation for long stretches of time. Frank vented his rage on his wife. Frank decided that Gary was not his son, but a boy Bessie had with someone else. It was a way for him to detach from Gary the way his father had detached from him.

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When Frank's sons got older, he began to whip them with a belt, much more severely than infractions merited. The boys learned that no matter what they said or did, their father simply wanted to brutalize them while insisting that they love him. Their mother would not protect them . She let them know that the ideal family was childless. Eventually Bessie began to beat her children as she was being beaten. Watch gary gilmore 1/5

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Gary reacted with a rebellious streak. Whereas he was smart and artistic, but he acted out in school, tested his courage by running in front of trains, exploited and violated friends, hung out with an antisocial crowd of boys, and engaged in petty crimes. This landed him in reform school. By sixteen , Gary was in jail . In July of 1976, just after being paroled, on two consecutive nights, he killed two men in cold blood. His final words seemed to affirm his terrible legacy: " There will always be a father ."

born or made?: 

b orn or made? Mikal Gilmore thought that his family legacy was one of negation, the nullification of self. Each child suffered. Gary turned it outward to negate others as a way to negate himself. He had just been released from prison early when he committed the murders. When he was convicted and sentenced to die, he insisted there be no appeal. He wanted the pain of living to end . Watch Gary Gilmore – 4/5

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P sychopathy appears to be a distinct personality disorder , with childhood behaviour serving as good indicators. These indicators include drug abuse, theft, aggression, truancy, general problem behaviour , lying, and poor educational achievement. Yet not all psychopaths are criminals , some behaviour changes with age, and some intervention may help to redirect behaviour .

forewarnings: 

forewarnings a mother exposed to deprivation or abuse as a child a mother who shows a tendency toward isolation a transient father or the family migrates frequently a mother who cannot maintain stable emotional connection with a child low birth weight or birth complications hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity to pain hyperactivity failure to make eye contact when touched absence of fear of strangers low frustration tolerance transient psychotic episodes

family unties: 

f amily unties One trait that many abusive psychopaths seems to have in common is that of birth ancestry, or legitimacy. An unwillingness to admit and/or explain that a child has been born out of wedlock , or is not the biological child of the father is a theme that permeates many of these troubled people’s lives. It would appear that the shame and disconnect from the child’s heritage becomes a major issue in maladjustment within the Self, the family and the community.

conduct disorder: 

Identifying and Diagnosing CD There are so many overlapping CDs that the whole concept a CD becomes confusing. Additionally, some common behavioural manifestations of youth, such as anger, mood instability, and defiance, match symptoms of disorders. The problem is found in a persistent pattern of antisocial behaviour such as violating social rules, aggression toward animals or children, destruction of property, deceitfulness, theft. It is not the case that a child diagnosed as conduct disordered will inevitably grow into an adult with APD. This relationship is more complicated. A child with conduct disorder may persist in antisocial ways: 1) hyperactivity, 2) early onset, 3)different antisocial behaviours, and 4) displaying antisocial behaviours in different settings. Age of onset seems to be paramount. c onduct disorder

Types of CDs: 

Types of CDs

hyperactivity: 

hyperactivity Psychopathy has much in common with ODD, CD, and hyperactivity . A possible neurological deficit manifests as a lack of behavioural restraint in children. Those with psychopathic personalities were shown to be stable offenders who were prone to the most serious offenses. Childhood psychopathy has also proven to be the best predictor of antisocial behaviour in adolescence.

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Hyperactivity and Impulsivity and Concurrent C onduct P roblems (HIA-CP) boys closely compare with psychopathic adults. T hey were the most antisocial, disinhibited and neuropsychologically impaired children who have been diagnosed with a CD. In other words, those who had attention deficits and poor impulse control associated with conduct problems were more likely to manifest traits of psychopathy. Hyperactivity II

possible treatment?: 

p ossible treatment? Psychopathy clip 4 (therapy)

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Prison programs have been developed using convicted murderers and other criminals to counsel juvenile delinquents about the reality of prison in an effort to “ scare them straight”. Watch scared straight 2 Although the programs claim to have a high rate of success there remain juveniles who do not conform to societal norms and continue to break laws and commit crimes. There have been no follow-up studies as to the success rate of similar programs and teens with psychopathy. Treatment for juvenile offenders