Structured Professional Judgment (SPJ) Violence Risk Case Formulation and Psychopathic Personality Disorder

Abstract The bivariate, empirical association between psychopathic personality disorder (PPD) and violence has been well established. Yet, questions remain about how to explain why this association occurs. To address this conceptual gap, we presented a review of theories of violence related to PPD. Next a conceptual analysis of how psychopathic traits may influence violent decisions was conducted. Specifically, we systematically analyzed how Comprehensive Assessment of Psychopathic Personality (CAPP; Cooke et al., International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 11(4), 242–252, 2012) traits influence violence from a structured professional judgment (SPJ) theory of violence known as SPJ decision theory. This conceptual analysis clarifies how various CAPP traits may motivate, disinhibit, or destabilize violence. Implications include the role of causality and clinical applications of violence risk case formulations.