Psychopathic personality among the mentally defective

Summary

The analysis of these cases shows that:

• 1. The psychopathic defective is suffering from various arrests in the development of his mental integrations described as conational, temperament, affective-emotional, and characterial—as is also true of the superior psychopaths. The underlying problems of the psychopathic defective are essentially identical with those of the superior psychopaths.

• 2. The mental integrations described as intellectual simply give color and direction to the abundant energies with which all three patients have been endowed. The direction of these energies becomes a misdirection through the influence of the other mental integrations.

• 3. Each patient has been successful, according to the powers of his total adaptability, within certain restricted spheres of activity but unsuccessful in social orientation to a life goal, its attainment, and the inclusion of group life.

• 4. Adequate social treatment early in life, and continued community assistance when needed, might have moulded the energies of these patients into constructive purposes. Easy access to institutional assistance is definitely advised; even permanent institutionalization may be needed, after a certain fixation in habituations makes the patient dangerous to himself or to others.

• 5. It can be emphasized that the psychopathic defective is suffering from severe mental aberrations similar to those found in the superior psychopaths, for whose problems society has not yet made adequate provision. Accordingly, the State schools, which are organized to handle the many socially inocuous or sociallyminded defectives, should receive immediate assistance in caring for this type of patient through either a special unit or an independent organization.