DOCSLIB.ORG

The Effects of Intentional Minimization on Risk Assessments For

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Effects of Intentional Minimization on Risk Assessments For DENIAL OF RISK: THE EFFECTS OF INTENTIONAL MINIMIZATION ON RISK ASSESSMENTS FOR PSYCHOPATHIC AND NONPSYCHOPATHIC OFFENDERS Nathan D. Gillard, M.S. Dissertation Prepared for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS August 2013 APPROVED: Richard Rogers, Major Professor Adriel Boals, Committee Member Jennifer Callahan, Committee Member Vicki Campbell, Chair of the Department of Psychology Mark Wardell, Dean of the Toulouse Graduate School Gillard, Nathan D. Denial of Risk: The Effects of Intentional Minimization on Risk Assessments for Psychopathic and Nonpsychopathic Offenders. Doctor of Philosophy (Clinical Psychology), August 2013, 152 pp., 18 tables, 1 figure, references, 275 titles. Risk assessments for offenders often combine past records with current clinical findings from observations, interviews, and test data. Conclusions based on these risk assessments are highly consequential, sometimes resulting in increased criminal sentences or prolonged hospitalization. Offenders are therefore motivated to intentionally minimize their risk scores. Intentional minimization is especially likely to occur in offenders with high psychopathic traits because goal-directed deception is reflected in many of the core traits of the disorder, such as manipulativeness, glibness, and superficial charm. However, this connection appears to be based on the conceptual understanding of psychopathy, and it has rarely been examined empirically for either frequency or success. The current study examined the connection between psychopathic traits and the intentional minimization of risk factors using a sentenced jail sample. In general, offenders were able to effectively minimize risk on the HCR-20 and SAQ, while the PICTS, as a measure of cognitive styles, was more resistant to such minimization. Psychopathic traits, especially high interpersonal facet scores, led to greater minimization using a repeated measure, simulation design. Important differences in the willingness and ability to use deception were found based on (a) the content of subscales, and (b) the mode of administration (i.e., interview vs. self-report). The important implications of this research are discussed for risk assessment procedures regarding likely areas of deception and its detection. It also informs the growing literature on the connection between psychopathic traits and deception. Copyright 2013 by Nathan D. Gillard ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES ...........................................................................................................................v Chapters 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................1 Overview of Violent Risk Assessment Why Perform Risk Assessments? Three Phases of Risk Assessment Phase I: Dangerousness Phase II: Refocusing on Risk Assessment and the Risk of Actuarials Phase III: Structured Professional Judgments Psychopathy and Risk Assessment Contrasting Perspectives in the Development of Psychopathy Use of Psychopathy on Existing Risk Assessment Measures Psychopathy and Deception Beyond Descriptions: The Actual Use of Deception by Psychopaths Success at Deception Current Study Research Questions and Hypotheses 2. METHOD ..............................................................................................................40 Design Participants Materials Measures Criterion Groups for High and Low Psychopathy Procedures 3. RESULTS ..............................................................................................................53 General Manipulation Check Descriptive Data Research Question Analyses iii Post-hoc Manipulation Check 4. DISCUSSION ........................................................................................................78 The Increased Need for Risk Assessments Vulnerability of Risk Assessment Measures to Deception Offenders’ Underreporting of Static Variables Offenders’ Ability to Lower Perceived Risk Psychopathy’s Role in Deception Factor and Facet Scores of Psychopathy that Predict the Use of Deception Vulnerability to Deception Exists for Both Self-Reports and Interviews Limitations Future Directions Conclusion FOOTNOTES ..............................................................................................................................107 APPENDICES .............................................................................................................................108 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................119 iv LIST OF TABLES Page 1. Comparison of Hare Facets and Corresponding Cleckley Traits .......................................19 2. Current and Most Serious Criminal Offenses Among Sentenced Jail Inmates .................56 3. Differences on HCR-20 Scale Scores Between Honest and Positive Impression Management Conditions ....................................................................................................59 4. Differences on Self Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) Scale Scores Between Honest and Impression Management Conditions .................................................................................60 5. Differences on the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS) Scales Between Honest and Impression Management Conditions ...............................................61 6. Effect of High and Low Psychopathy Scores on Impression Management on the HCR-20 ............................................................................................................................................63 7. Effect of High and Low Psychopathy Scores on Impression Management on the SAQ ...64 8. Effects of High and Low Psychopathy Scores on Impression Management on the PICTS ............................................................................................................................................65 9. Differential Effect of Psychopathy on Total Scores for Interview-Based vs. Self-Report Measures ............................................................................................................................67 10. Prediction of HCR-20 Risk Assessment Scores by the Two Factors of Psychopathy.......69 11. Effect of PCL-R Factors on Deception on SAQ and PICTS Self-Report Measures .........70 12. Ability of the Four-Facet Model of Psychopathy to Predict Changes in HCR-20 Scores .72 13. SAQ Scale Content and Its Effect on Impression Management ........................................74 14. Change in Insight and Non-Insight Scale Scores from Honest to Positive Impression Management Conditions ....................................................................................................75 15. Differences in Confidence of Success Based on the Presence of Psychopathy Traits ......75 16. The Effect of Self-Assessed Confidence in Successful Positive Impression Management ............................................................................................................................................76 17. Effect of High and Low Psychopathy Scores on Impression Management on Measures of Psychopathy (Edens et al., 2001) and Risk Assessment (Current Study) ..........................92 18. Descriptive Statistics for HCR-20 Total Score Across Groups .........................................94 v CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION The intuitive appeal of a link between psychopathy and deception is undeniable, with the latter term considered a key characteristic of prototypical psychopathy. On this point, Cleckley’s (1941) model of psychopathy listed “untruthfulness and insincerity” as a core feature, while Hare’s (1991) model contained the variant of “pathological lying.” Beyond direct characterizations of deception, descriptions of psychopathy include multiple core features indicative of deceptive practices, such as superficial charm, manipulativeness, and shallowness. Deceptive features are also implied because psychopathic individuals are characterized as exploitative of others, which often requires lying and finesse at conning. Moreover, various forms of deception are also required in the successful commission of most crimes and the subsequent avoidance of apprehension. Beyond the prevarications of ordinary criminals, psychopaths characteristically use conscious distortions and manipulations across multiple domains of their lives, leaving no relationship unaffected (Cleckley, 1976). Studies have found that psychopaths are not actually any more successful at being deceptive, even though they may do so more frequently than nonpsychopaths (Clark, 1997; Lykken, 1978; Patrick & Iacono, 1989; Raskin & Hare, 1978). At least in one experimental situation, Cogburn (1993) found that psychopaths were actually less successful at deceiving others than nonpsychopaths when attempting to persuade interviewers that they had engaged in either socially desirable or undesirable behaviors. Importantly, they were rated as less credible whether they were lying or being presumably honest. Klaver, Lee, Spidel, and Hart (2009) generally supported Cogburn’s findings and concluded in their own study that psychopathic offenders do not exhibit superior deception skills when judged by lay persons. However, both 1 studies utilized artificial, sanctioned deceptions (Feely & DeTurck, 1998) in a laboratory setting. It is possible that psychopaths are superior to others when using deception in real-world circumstances and when motivated by self-interest. This
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Incurable Psychopaths?
    Incurable Psychopaths? Marianne Kristiansson, MD Treatment, comprising pharmacotherapy and an educational program based on cognitive behavior therapy, of four psychopathic, criminal men fulfilling the crite- ria for borderline personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder is de- scribed. The diagnoses were made during a forensic psychiatric evaluation. An estimation of the capacity of the central serotonergic system was performed by analysing the platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity. The pharmacotherapy was combined with an educational program involving strategies for developing better impulse control. All four men had earlier been regarded as resistant to conventional therapy. In the present cases, a combined psychosocial and biolog- ical approach seemed to be effective in developing an increased control of im- pulses, leading to improved coping strategies. Controlled studies are needed in order to clarify whether the described treatment program proves beneficial. Psychopathy, as originally described by personality disorder according to DSM- Cleckley,' comprises a set of clinical 111-R.~ characteristics including superficial The possibility of curing or even trying charm, unreliability, untruthfulness, lack to treat criminal psychopathic individuals of remorse or shame, failure to learn by is often looked upon as futile. Most treat- experience, incapacity for love, general ment programs involve various psycho- poverty in major affective relations, and social interventions and little effort has failure to follow any life
    [Show full text]
  • Perceived Social Rank, Social Expectation, Shame and General Emotionality Within Psychopathy
    Perceived social rank, social expectation, shame and general emotionality within psychopathy Sarah Keen D. Clin.Psy. Thesis (Volume 1), 2008 University College London UMI Number: U591545 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Dissertation Publishing UMI U591545 Published by ProQuest LLC 2013. Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Overview Within the psychological literature, the self-conscious emotion of shame is proving to be an area of growing interest. This thesis addresses the application of this emotion, as well as self and social evaluative processes, to our understanding of offenders, specifically those high in psychopathic traits. Part 1 reviews the literature concerning emotionality within psychopathy, in order to assess the capabilities, as well as the deficits that people with psychopathic traits demonstrate. Emotions classified as ‘moral’ or ‘self-conscious’, namely empathy, sympathy, guilt, remorse, shame, embarrassment and pride, are investigated. From the review it is clear that psychopaths are not the truly unemotional individuals that they are commonly portrayed as being, but instead experience many emotions to varying degrees. This paper concludes by highlighting possible areas for further exploration and research.
    [Show full text]
  • Definitions of Child Abuse and Neglect
    STATE STATUTES Current Through March 2019 WHAT’S INSIDE Defining child abuse or Definitions of Child neglect in State law Abuse and Neglect Standards for reporting Child abuse and neglect are defined by Federal Persons responsible for the child and State laws. At the State level, child abuse and neglect may be defined in both civil and criminal Exceptions statutes. This publication presents civil definitions that determine the grounds for intervention by Summaries of State laws State child protective agencies.1 At the Federal level, the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment To find statute information for a Act (CAPTA) has defined child abuse and neglect particular State, as "any recent act or failure to act on the part go to of a parent or caregiver that results in death, https://www.childwelfare. serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse, gov/topics/systemwide/ or exploitation, or an act or failure to act that laws-policies/state/. presents an imminent risk of serious harm."2 1 States also may define child abuse and neglect in criminal statutes. These definitions provide the grounds for the arrest and prosecution of the offenders. 2 CAPTA Reauthorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-320), 42 U.S.C. § 5101, Note (§ 3). Children’s Bureau/ACYF/ACF/HHS 800.394.3366 | Email: [email protected] | https://www.childwelfare.gov Definitions of Child Abuse and Neglect https://www.childwelfare.gov CAPTA defines sexual abuse as follows: and neglect in statute.5 States recognize the different types of abuse in their definitions, including physical abuse, The employment, use, persuasion, inducement, neglect, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse.
    [Show full text]
  • I PSYCHOPATHY and the INSANITY DEFENSE
    i PSYCHOPATHY AND THE INSANITY DEFENSE: A GROUNDED THEORY EXPLORATION OF PUBLIC PERCEPTION BY ELISABETH KNOPP A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology California Baptist University School of Behavioral Sciences 2017 ii © 2017 Knopp, Elisabeth All Rights Reserved iii Dedication This thesis is dedicated to Mitchell, the love of my life. Thank you for all the love and support throughout this writing process, all the pep talks, and helping me fight procrastination! You are my best friend, my favorite study buddy, and my best accountability partner! Without your positive attitude and encouragement, I may not have gotten through my numerous late night writing sessions. I would also like to dedicate this to my parents who have been there for me all the life and have always pushed me to do my best. I can’t imagine my life without your support and encouragement. You gave me so many opportunities to succeed and wouldn’t ever let me settle for less than my best. You have helped shape me into the person I am today. I wouldn’t be here without you! iv Acknowledgements I would like to thank my wonderful thesis chair, Dr. Anne-Marie Larsen, for her immense help while writing this thesis. Without your guidance, our brainstorming sessions, and all your assistance, I likely wouldn’t even have a completed thesis. Thank you for pushing me to take opportunities to present at conferences and colloquiums and better my resume through research. You have been an immense support to me during these two years and I have always valued your advice and encouragement.
    [Show full text]
  • Gaslighting, Misogyny, and Psychological Oppression Cynthia A
    The Monist, 2019, 102, 221–235 doi: 10.1093/monist/onz007 Article Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/monist/article-abstract/102/2/221/5374582 by University of Utah user on 11 March 2019 Gaslighting, Misogyny, and Psychological Oppression Cynthia A. Stark* ABSTRACT This paper develops a notion of manipulative gaslighting, which is designed to capture something not captured by epistemic gaslighting, namely the intent to undermine women by denying their testimony about harms done to them by men. Manipulative gaslighting, I propose, consists in getting someone to doubt her testimony by challeng- ing its credibility using two tactics: “sidestepping” (dodging evidence that supports her testimony) and “displacing” (attributing to her cognitive or characterological defects). I explain how manipulative gaslighting is distinct from (mere) reasonable disagree- ment, with which it is sometimes confused. I also argue for three further claims: that manipulative gaslighting is a method of enacting misogyny, that it is often a collective phenomenon, and, as collective, qualifies as a mode of psychological oppression. The term “gaslighting” has recently entered the philosophical lexicon. The literature on gaslighting has two strands. In one, gaslighting is characterized as a form of testi- monial injustice. As such, it is a distinctively epistemic injustice that wrongs persons primarily as knowers.1 Gaslighting occurs when someone denies, on the basis of another’s social identity, her testimony about a harm or wrong done to her.2 In the other strand, gaslighting is described as a form of wrongful manipulation and, indeed, a form of emotional abuse. This use follows the use of “gaslighting” in therapeutic practice.3 On this account, the aim of gaslighting is to get another to see her own plausible perceptions, beliefs, or memories as groundless.4 In what follows, I develop a notion of manipulative gaslighting, which I believe is necessary to capture a social phenomenon not accounted for by epistemic gaslight- ing.
    [Show full text]
  • How Does Psychopathy Relate to Humor and Laughter? Dispositions Toward Ridicule and Being Laughed At, the Sense of Humor, and Psychopathic Personality Traits
    Zurich Open Repository and Archive University of Zurich Main Library Strickhofstrasse 39 CH-8057 Zurich www.zora.uzh.ch Year: 2012 How does psychopathy relate to humor and laughter? Dispositions toward ridicule and being laughed at, the sense of humor, and psychopathic personality traits Proyer, Rene T ; Flisch, Rahel ; Tschupp, Stefanie ; Platt, Tracey ; Ruch, Willibald Abstract: This scoping study examines the relation of the sense of humor and three dispositions toward ridicule and being laughed at to psychopathic personality traits. Based on self-reports from 233 adults, psychopathic personality traits were robustly related to enjoying laughing at others, which most strongly related to a manipulative/impulsive lifestyle and callousness. Higher psychopathic traits correlated with bad mood and it existed independently from the ability of laughing at oneself. While overall psychopathic personality traits existed independently from the sense of humor, the facet of superficial charm yielded a robust positive relation. Higher joy in being laughed at also correlated with higher expressions in superficial charm and grandiosity while fearing to be laughed at went along with higher expressions in a manipulative life-style. Thus, the psychopathic personality trait could be well described in its relation to humor and laughter. Implications of the findings are highlighted and discussed with respect to the current literature. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlp.2012.04.007 Posted at the Zurich Open Repository and Archive, University of Zurich ZORA URL: https://doi.org/10.5167/uzh-62966 Journal Article Accepted Version Originally published at: Proyer, Rene T; Flisch, Rahel; Tschupp, Stefanie; Platt, Tracey; Ruch, Willibald (2012).
    [Show full text]
  • FLARR Pages #61: Murder and Mayhem... and How to Teach Them
    University of Minnesota Morris Digital Well University of Minnesota Morris Digital Well FLARR Pages Journals Spring 2008 FLARR Pages #61: Murder and Mayhem... and How to Teach Them Thomas C. Turner University of Minnesota - Morris Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.morris.umn.edu/flarr Part of the Spanish Literature Commons Recommended Citation Turner, Thomas C., "FLARR Pages #61: Murder and Mayhem... and How to Teach Them" (2008). FLARR Pages. 54. https://digitalcommons.morris.umn.edu/flarr/54 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at University of Minnesota Morris Digital Well. It has been accepted for inclusion in FLARR Pages by an authorized administrator of University of Minnesota Morris Digital Well. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 67 File Under: •Psychology for FLARRPAGES #61 literary study •Trauma The Foreign Language Association •Paranoia of the Red River •Psychopathy •Profiling Volume #2; Spring, 2008 "Murder and Mayhem ... and How to The results of this analysis will help the student understand these characters more thoroughly as well Teach Them/' Thomas C. Turner, as the dangers they present to society. The notes can University of Minnesota, Morris also be used to indicate what kind of society might encourage or allow these characters to present their A good question for speculation is, "By the age of 18 dangerous behavior. Society has a definite role in the how many serial killers and assassins have our young development of these characters (see FLARR Page people seen r Veiy few, of course, unless you count #60).
    [Show full text]
  • Assessing Construct Overlap Between Secondary Psychopathy and Borderline Personality Disorder
    City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 9-2015 The Sensitive Psychopath: Assessing Construct Overlap Between Secondary Psychopathy and Borderline Personality Disorder Trevor H. Barese Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/851 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] THE SENSITIVE PSYCHOPATH: ASSESSING CONSTRUCT OVERLAP BETWEEN SECONDARY PSYCHOPATHY AND BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER By TREVOR H. BARESE A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Clinical Psychology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, The City University of New York 2015 CONSTRUCT VALIDITY OF SECONDARY PSYCHOPATHY ii © 2015 TREVOR BARESE All Rights Reserved CONSTRUCT VALIDITY OF SECONDARY PSYCHOPATHY iii This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Clinical Psychology in satisfaction of the Dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Michele Galietta_____________________ _____________________ ___________________________________ Date Chair of Examining Committee Maureen O’Connor___________________ _____________________ ___________________________________ Date Executive Officer Patricia A. Zapf_____________________ Andrew A. Shiva____________________ Barry Rosenfeld_____________________ Stephen D. Hart______________________ Supervisory Committee THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK CONSTRUCT VALIDITY OF SECONDARY PSYCHOPATHY iv Abstract THE SENSITIVE PSYCHOPATH: ASSESSING CONSTRUCT OVERLAP BETWEEN SECONDARY PSYCHOPATHY AND BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER By Trevor H. Barese Adviser: Professor Michele Galietta The literature suggests substantial overlap between secondary psychopathy and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).
    [Show full text]
  • Is It Aggression? Perceptions of and Motivations for Passive and Psychological
    1 NOTE: DRAFT – DO NO QUOTE Is it aggression? Perceptions of and motivations for passive and psychological aggression Deborah South Richardson and Georgina S. Hammock Augusta State University This chapter reviews programs of research on correlates and perceptions of “everyday” forms of aggression that often are not considered in traditional aggression research. Studies of correlates and perceptions of passive aggression reveal that such behavior is often motivated by intentions other than the intention to cause harm (e.g., inducing guilt) – although the effect is to harm the target. Similarly, comparison of perceptions of psychological and physical aggression reveal that psychological aggression, which is defined in terms of harming an individual’s self regard, may be perceived as less damaging than physical aggression although the potential for long- term harm is greater. Psychological aggression appears to be motivated as much by the desire to control as by the intention to harm the target. The research summary will conclude by raising questions about our standard definitions of aggressive behavior. Introduction Aggression is typically defined as behavior intended to harm another person (Baron & Richardson, 1994). Although there has been some argument about whether intention should be part of the aggression (i.e., aggression is behavior that harms, regardless of intention of the aggressor), most current definitions of aggression involve the concept of intention to harm. This definition of aggression requires that we consider 2 the observer’s inference about an actor’s goals (Tedeschi & Felson, 1994). Thus, this chapter will review research that has examined observer’s perceptions of motivations for and effects of acts of everyday aggression.
    [Show full text]
  • For the Last Twenty Years Philosophers of an Analytic Bent Have Been Fascinated by Psychopathy and New Empirical Findings About It
    EuJAP | Vol. 14 | No.1 | 2018 UDK: 1:159.97.018 1:343.96 INTRODUCTION PSYCHOPATHY: PHILOSOPHICAL AND EMPIRICAL CHALLENGES MARKO JURJAKO University of Rijeka LUCA MALATESTI University of Rijeka JOHN McMILLAN University of Otago For the last twenty years philosophers of an analytic bent have been fascinated by psychopathy and new empirical findings about it. This is a syndrome that is often characterised by egocentrism, shallow emotions, impulsivity, lack of remorse and antisocial behaviour that involves manipulating others and criminal versatility. Scientific studies of psychopaths have been used to argue in favour of philosophical positions or theories about the nature of moral judgment, motivation, and moral psychology more generally. Some authors have argued that psychopaths’ lack of empathy and guilt support moral sentimentalism, the position that normal moral judgment is grounded in human emotions and affective capacities (Aaltola 2014; Nichols 2004; Prinz 2006). However, this view has been challenged on empirical grounds by supporters of rationalism, the position that rational capacities are the essential prerequisites for moral understanding and motivation (Kennett 2010; Maibom 2005; cf. Malatesti 2009). Philosophical investigations have drawn upon scientific research to frame responses to the social problems created by criminal psychopaths (Malatesti and McMillan 2010). Some philosophers have argued that neuropsychological studies indicate that psychopaths have serious deficits in capacities underlying moral and/or legal responsibility and thus should not be held accountable or completely accountable for their wrong doing (for a review, see Litton 2010). Psychopathy has recently also been investigated from a bioethical perspective (Jurjako, Malatesti, and Brazil 2018c), where the debate is ongoing about the justifiability and prospects for moral bioenhancement or modification of psychopaths (Baccarini and Malatesti 2017; Hübner and White 2016).
    [Show full text]
  • Pop-Culture Psychopathy: How Media and Literature Exposure Relate To
    Pop-Culture Psychopathy: How Media and Literature Exposure Relate to Lay Psychopathy Understanding Dissertation Presented to The Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences Drexel University In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy by Michael E. Keesler, M.S., J.D. Department of Psychology May, 2013 Pop-Culture Psychopathy ii Table of Contents Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ ii Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... v Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Background and Literature Summary ............................................................................................. 2 Psychopathy’s Evolution Over Time ........................................................................................ 2 Contemporary Psychopathy ................................................................................................ 4 The Public’s Evolving Relationship with Psychology.............................................................. 8 Increase in Psychopathy Professional Literature for Lay Consumer ...................................... 10 Increase in Psychopathy Popular Media Delivered to Lay Consumer ................................... 13 What Effect Do Mixed Messages
    [Show full text]
  • Institutional Betrayal and Gaslighting Why Whistle-Blowers Are So Traumatized
    DOI: 10.1097/JPN.0000000000000306 Continuing Education r r J Perinat Neonat Nurs Volume 32 Number 1, 59–65 Copyright C 2018 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved. Institutional Betrayal and Gaslighting Why Whistle-Blowers Are So Traumatized Kathy Ahern, PhD, RN ABSTRACT marginalization. As a result of these reprisals, whistle- Despite whistle-blower protection legislation and blowers often experience severe emotional trauma that healthcare codes of conduct, retaliation against nurses seems out of proportion to “normal” reactions to work- who report misconduct is common, as are outcomes place bullying. The purpose of this article is to ap- of sadness, anxiety, and a pervasive loss of sense ply the research literature to explain the psychological of worth in the whistle-blower. Literature in the field processes involved in whistle-blower reprisals, which of institutional betrayal and intimate partner violence result in severe emotional trauma to whistle-blowers. describes processes of abuse strikingly similar to those “Whistle-blower gaslighting” is the term that most ac- experienced by whistle-blowers. The literature supports the curately describes the processes mirroring the psycho- argument that although whistle-blowers suffer reprisals, logical abuse that commonly occurs in intimate partner they are traumatized by the emotional manipulation many violence. employers routinely use to discredit and punish employees who report misconduct. “Whistle-blower gaslighting” creates a situation where the whistle-blower doubts BACKGROUND her perceptions, competence, and mental state. These On a YouTube clip,1 a game is described in which a outcomes are accomplished when the institution enables woman is given a map of house to memorize.
    [Show full text]