Previous findings indicating a relationship between moral reasoning and political orientation have been interpreted in cognitive-developmental terms as reflecting the influence of the level of moral maturity on political attitudes. The present study investigates the alternative possibility that individual differences in adult moral reasoning reflect differences in content of politico-moral idealogy. Students, denning themselves politically as left wing, moderate, or right wing, completed a measure of moral reasoning (Rest's, 1975, Defining Issues Test), once from their own perspective and once from the point of view of either a conservative or a radical. Leftwingers achieved significantly higher scores on principled moral reasoning than did the other two groups. However, both right-wing and moderate students significantly increased their principled-reasoning scores if they responded as a radical. Results support the view that variations in adult moral reasoning are a function of political position rather than developmental status.Relationships between political attitudes and moral reasoning have been reported in a number of investigations (e.g.,

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Two studies examined the higher-order factor structure of DSM-IV personality disorders using the International Personality Disorder Examination in male forensic psychiatric patients. In Study 1 (N = 168), exploratory factor analysis at the level of individual personality disorder criteria indicated nine primary factors. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of these first-order factors supported a hierarchical structure in which two of three second-order factors covaried to yield a third-order factor. The two resulting superordinate factors were labelled Anxious-Inhibited and Acting Out. In Study 2 (N = 160), we used exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to test hypotheses of common dimensions underlying these superordinate factors of personality disorder and superordinate factors of the five-factor model of personality, dimensions of the interpersonal circle, and psychopathy. Of three common factors, one combined Anxious-Inhibited disorders, "neurotic introversion," and hostile-submission. The other two factors of Acting Out/ psychopathy and antagonism/hostile-dominance covaried to yield a superordinate factor. Possible substrates underlying two superordinate dimensions common to normal and abnormal personality were identified in the theoretical literature.

Two studies are reported on nurses' assessments of interpersonal style in hospitalized male forensic psychiatric patients. In Study 1, interpersonal behaviors were rated on a Chart of Interpersonal Reactions in Closed Living Environments (CIRCLE) in a derivation sample (n = 210) and a replication sample (n= 102). Rating items generated a circular arrangement within both samples consistent with recent conceptualizations of the Leary interpersonal circle (T. Leary, 1957), and scales constructed to measure the octants of the circle demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties. Study 2 showed that the 8 scales met the geometric requirements of a circumplex in the same 2 samples. As measures of dysfunctional interpersonal style, CIRCLE scales may have some utility in treatment planning, risk assessment, and the evaluation of personality disorders in inpatienl populations.Problems in relating to others commonly reflect stylistic consistencies in social interaction that may both contribute to the development of clinical disorders and affect the process and outcome of treatment (Horowitz & Vitkus, 1986;Muran, Segal, Samstag, & Crawford, 1994). Dysfunctional interactions are particularly prominent among the criteria for personality disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 1994), and several theorists argue that these disorders are most appropriately understood as maladaptive interpersonal styles (e.g., Blackburn,

Mentally disordered offenders who were psychopathic according to the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) were divided into primary psychopath, secondary psychopath, controlled, and inhibited groups on the basis of a validated empirical classification, using the Antisocial Personality Questionnaire (APQ). They were compared on the factors and facets of the PCL-R, criminal history, Axis I and Axis II psychopathology, experience of child abuse, personality, interpersonal style, and clinical ratings of risk and treatability, to determine the utility of the APQ classification in identifying subtypes of psychopath. Significant differences between APQ primary and secondary psychopaths on several measures support the identification of these groups with the primary and secondary psychopaths hypothesized by Karpman (1948) and others. However, further differences suggest that the controlled and inhibited groups represent additional variants of primary and secondary psychopath, respectively. The results provide further evidence for the heterogeneity of psychopaths, and suggest that the PCL-R encompasses several distinct subtypes of abnormal personality.