Charismatic and extremely confident: recognising and handling a psychopath

An encounter early in her career made Dr Leanne ten Brinke rethink working with convicted criminals. While volunteering at a parole office in Halifax in her early 20s, she found most men showed contrition — except one who treated the treatment programme 'like a game to him' and, smiling, told her his victim resembled her and was 'his type'.

The experience put her off that work but sparked a lasting interest in dark personalities: psychopathy, narcissism, machiavellianism and sadism. Now an associate professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia, Ten Brinke argues these traits turn up across family life, workplaces, politics and online.

Psychopathy is seen as a continuum: it is estimated that 1% of the general population have clinical levels, some studies put 'elevated' levels at up to 18%, and among prisoners clinical levels are about 20%.

Canada, Halifax

psychopathy, narcissism, machiavellianism, sadism, ten brinke, parole office, halifax, convicted criminals, clinical levels, prisoners