![]() ![]() Much of the book is devoted to Ronson’s observations about the Psychopathy Check List, a diagnostic tool developed by criminal psychologist, Dr. Notably, psychopathy is not listed in the DSM as a stand-alone disorder (rather, people who are referred to as psychopaths are generally diagnosed with disorders such as antisocial personality disorder and narcissist personality disorder). Ronson presents a number of case studies alongside an understanding of ‘psychopathy’ from a social, historical and clinical perspective. Yes, even on a good day, I could browse through the DSM and slot myself into a whole bunch of disorders (today for instance, sluggish cognitive tempo disorder, otherwise known as lack of motivation). Maybe it was a bad idea to read DSM4 when you’re not a trained professional… ![]() It makes for very compelling reading, as Jon Ronson discovered in his exploration of psychopathy, The Psychopath Test. Each ‘disorder’ is described using a number of diagnostic criteria, risk factors, cultural and gender considerations, differential diagnoses and so on. Have you ever looked at a copy of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (commonly referred to as the ‘ DSM‘)? It’s a reference book published by the American Psychiatric Association, and it is used by clinicians for diagnosing mental illness. ![]()
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