The Scale of Evil-Interjudge Reliability and Associations with Predictor Variables

Abstract

Background: The concept of Evil has only rarely been the subject of empirical studies, which in turn requires a distinct definition of the concept, schemes for operationalization and development of measurement tools. The Scale of Evil (SoE) was constructed 1993 but has not yet been studied empirically. Aim:The main aim was to assess the reliability of the SoE. A second aim was to explore the correlation pattern between SoE and a range of other characteristics of perpetrators of crime. This might shed light on how Evil is construed in the minds of forensic professionals, and laymen.Method: 139 forensic psychiatric patients (stratified selection) were scored according to SoE by two independent raters. Psychopathy and HCR-15 (risk assessment) scores, as well as a data on a wide range of other individual characteristics were available for most of the subjects. Results:The interjudge reliability was very high with respect to rank order (tau=0.94) as well as distribution of scores (almost identical). Among more than 100 individual characteristics, one variable displayed a particularly strong association with SoE scores: Lack of Compassion (tau=0.49). As expected SoE correlated with PCL scores, but actually stronger with a diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder, and item H1 (previous violence) and H8 (early behavioural problems) of the HCR-15. Significant associations were also obtained with many other variables, in line with expectations. Conclusion:SoE is a highly reliable scale. The pattern of associations with the other individual characteristics verifies the importance of psychopathic characteristics when scoring SoE, but SoE goes beyond being" another psychopathy scale". The Compassion variable, with its roots in criminological theory, appears to be a key to understand how raters construe Evil and rate SoE. The strong association qualifies as a construct validation of the SoE scale. (SoE). In addition to murder, the scale exemplifies scale steps with reference also to other crimes, for instance serial rapes. Stone constructed his scale on the basis of psychodynamic theory (particularly the concept of narcissism), psychopathy and his own clinical cases as well as case descriptions in mass media of persons known to have been exceptionally cruel to a partner, to children, or to other family members. KeywordsThe concept of excessive selfishness has been recognized throughout history, in ancient Greece labelled as "hubris". In 1911 Otto Rank published the first psychoanalytical paper regarding narcissism, linking it to vanity and self-admiration [13]. Kohut [14] and Kernberg [15] have contributed most to the current analytical understanding of narcissism, but from different points of departure. According to Kohut [14] the environment is the major cause of problems for such persons and there is no separate inborn and problematic aggressive drive. The "grandiose self" reflects the "fixation of an archaic but 'normal' primitive self" while for Kernberg [15] it is a pathological development of the aggre...