Cross Disciplinary Thinking about 'Antisocial Personality Disorder'.
Lead Research Organisation:
The Open University
Department Name: Faculty of Arts and Social Sci (FASS)
Abstract
This seminar series is designed to promote thought and provide new perspectives on the difficulties posed by people who have major problems in their lives and their relationships - who are sometimes given the diagnosis of 'personality disorder'. At their most extreme these difficulties involve high levels of criminal offending and violence. For over 200 hundred years efforts have been made to diagnose these individuals as though they suffer from a mental disorder. Various labels have been used to describe this disorder - for example 'moral insanity', 'sociopathy', 'psychopathy' and personality disorder; with most concern in recent years being addressed to those said to suffer from 'Antisocial Personality Disorder' (ASPD).
This issue began to receive a great deal of Government attention in the late 1990s, when the then Labour Government became very concerned by the case of Michael Stone who was convicted of the murder of Lin and Megan Russell in 1997. Stone's psychiatrists had recommended his discharge from a psychiatric hospital some 18 months before the murders because, although they viewed him as disturbed and dangerous, they felt that he suffered from 'ASPD' which they believed could not be treated in hospital. The Government proposed a series of initiatives that were aimed at encouraging the NHS to engage with and treat problems that were attracting the label of 'personality disorder'. They also initiated a well funded programme called the 'Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder Programme' that aimed to treat serious offenders who were seen as suffering from this disorder. Research has suggested that these programmes have not been very successful. Nevertheless further initiatives have been planned.
We believe that although there is benefit in understanding the psychology of such individuals there is a danger of too narrow a focus on the individual nature of these difficulties and of too little attention being paid to the social and cultural contexts that produce and sustain these problems. This seminar series will bring together perspectives from a range of academic disciplines along with professionals representing different aspects of the health and welfare services, and with service users who had direct experience of living with these difficulties.
The first year will start with an event that focuses on historical perspectives. This is important as although the diagnosis has a substantial history going back at least 200 hundred years; that history is not always well understood and there is a danger that the lessons of that history are not utilized. We will also hold a seminar that looks at what can be learned from people's own experiences of having the diagnosis themselves and from those who work directly with people who have had that diagnosis. Another seminar will examine philosophical perspectives on the nature of these difficulties. Such diagnoses have consistently been subject to legal controversy as they raise questions as to the nature of individual responsibility.
The central event of the second year will be one that examines the impact and implications of the way that these kind of problems have been represented in different kinds of media (from film, art, fiction to the news media). We suggest that media representations have been an important factor in constructing our understanding of these problems. We will also look at how useful concepts of 'personality disorder' are within the highly charged public debates about, on the one hand, the world of those who are dependent upon long term on benefits and on the other in the world of corporate greed.
Cross disciplinary ideas from the first two years will flow into the events of the final year that will be used to understand and point towards solutions to specific difficulties such as the rather different relationships that men and women have towards violence and the specific issues of 'hate crimes and terror' and 'school shootings'.
This issue began to receive a great deal of Government attention in the late 1990s, when the then Labour Government became very concerned by the case of Michael Stone who was convicted of the murder of Lin and Megan Russell in 1997. Stone's psychiatrists had recommended his discharge from a psychiatric hospital some 18 months before the murders because, although they viewed him as disturbed and dangerous, they felt that he suffered from 'ASPD' which they believed could not be treated in hospital. The Government proposed a series of initiatives that were aimed at encouraging the NHS to engage with and treat problems that were attracting the label of 'personality disorder'. They also initiated a well funded programme called the 'Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder Programme' that aimed to treat serious offenders who were seen as suffering from this disorder. Research has suggested that these programmes have not been very successful. Nevertheless further initiatives have been planned.
We believe that although there is benefit in understanding the psychology of such individuals there is a danger of too narrow a focus on the individual nature of these difficulties and of too little attention being paid to the social and cultural contexts that produce and sustain these problems. This seminar series will bring together perspectives from a range of academic disciplines along with professionals representing different aspects of the health and welfare services, and with service users who had direct experience of living with these difficulties.
The first year will start with an event that focuses on historical perspectives. This is important as although the diagnosis has a substantial history going back at least 200 hundred years; that history is not always well understood and there is a danger that the lessons of that history are not utilized. We will also hold a seminar that looks at what can be learned from people's own experiences of having the diagnosis themselves and from those who work directly with people who have had that diagnosis. Another seminar will examine philosophical perspectives on the nature of these difficulties. Such diagnoses have consistently been subject to legal controversy as they raise questions as to the nature of individual responsibility.
The central event of the second year will be one that examines the impact and implications of the way that these kind of problems have been represented in different kinds of media (from film, art, fiction to the news media). We suggest that media representations have been an important factor in constructing our understanding of these problems. We will also look at how useful concepts of 'personality disorder' are within the highly charged public debates about, on the one hand, the world of those who are dependent upon long term on benefits and on the other in the world of corporate greed.
Cross disciplinary ideas from the first two years will flow into the events of the final year that will be used to understand and point towards solutions to specific difficulties such as the rather different relationships that men and women have towards violence and the specific issues of 'hate crimes and terror' and 'school shootings'.
Planned Impact
The social problems created by those whose behaviour falls under the category of 'Antisocial Personality Disorder' are considerable. Despite the recognition of these kinds of difficulties going back 200 hundred years, we are still struggling to find solutions. We are aiming this seminar series to have an impact on academic research and practice. We will do this by bringing together perspectives from a wide range of professional groups who work in this field, these groups will include (as evidenced by our list of participants):
- Psychiatrists
- Clinical Psychologists
- Social Workers
- Psychotherapists
- Probation Officers
- Prison officers
We will reach people by using professional networks and bring these together with academic networks:
- International Association of Forensic Psychotherapists (Chris Scanlon is on the board)
- Centre for History of Emotion (see letter of support)
- Association for Therapeutic Communities
- Media and the Inner World (see letter of support)
- Association for Psychosocial Studies (UK- Psychosocial Network) (David Jones is on the Steering Committee)
- Emergence (a service user group for people who have had personality disorder diagnosis)
We will also use these and professional networks to publicise calls for papers for all these events. This is important in that we want to bring together people who might be working in diverse areas. In addition:
- A series website will be established
- A JISC mail network will be organised and all interested people encouraged to subscribe.
We aim to improve knowledge and practice in this area. The ideas emerging from this series will directly feed into a number of initiatives that are already running or are planned:
- PGCert: 'Psychosocial Perspectives on Working with People with Personality Disorders'. This is a programme that is run collaboratively by Millfields/East London Hospital Trust and the School of Law and Social Science at the University of East London. This programme has been designed with input from service users. It has its first intake during 2013. All students will be encouraged to attend all sessions.
- The seminar series will be made available to all probation officers on the 'Pathways project' (see DoH 2011) funded by the Ministry of Justice that involves Millfields (where Chris Scanlon is employed as Consultant Psychotherapist), Forensic Intensive Psychological Treatment Service (FIPTS), Forensic mental Heath Services, South London and Maudsley NHS Trust and the Bracton Centre, Oxleas Mental Health Trust.
- A cross disciplinary Professional Doctorate in 'Psychosocial Clinical Practice' is planned to run in the School of Law and Social Science, University of East London. All students will be encouraged to attend events.
- Students on a range of Professional Doctorate programmes run in collaborative partnership between the University of East London and the Tavistock Foundation Clinic will be encouraged to participate. David Jones sits on the Tavistock-UEL Strategic Partnership Board.
The events will feed directly into a number of publication initiatives:
- David Jones (PI) has already been commissioned already to write a book by Routledge with the title: Disordered Personalities and Crime: A Psychosocial History of 'Moral Insanity'. This is due to appear in 2014.
- Co-investigator Chris Scanlon will work with Anna Motz to edit a book on 'Gender and Forensic Mental Health', which is an important theme of the third year.
- Chris Scanlon and David Jones will edit a cross disciplinary collection towards the end of the series that will directly draw from work that emerges during the series.
- We are already discussing special editions of the journals of 'Psychoanalysis, Culture and Society', 'Critical Social Policy', and the 'International Journal of Therapeutic Communities'.
- Psychiatrists
- Clinical Psychologists
- Social Workers
- Psychotherapists
- Probation Officers
- Prison officers
We will reach people by using professional networks and bring these together with academic networks:
- International Association of Forensic Psychotherapists (Chris Scanlon is on the board)
- Centre for History of Emotion (see letter of support)
- Association for Therapeutic Communities
- Media and the Inner World (see letter of support)
- Association for Psychosocial Studies (UK- Psychosocial Network) (David Jones is on the Steering Committee)
- Emergence (a service user group for people who have had personality disorder diagnosis)
We will also use these and professional networks to publicise calls for papers for all these events. This is important in that we want to bring together people who might be working in diverse areas. In addition:
- A series website will be established
- A JISC mail network will be organised and all interested people encouraged to subscribe.
We aim to improve knowledge and practice in this area. The ideas emerging from this series will directly feed into a number of initiatives that are already running or are planned:
- PGCert: 'Psychosocial Perspectives on Working with People with Personality Disorders'. This is a programme that is run collaboratively by Millfields/East London Hospital Trust and the School of Law and Social Science at the University of East London. This programme has been designed with input from service users. It has its first intake during 2013. All students will be encouraged to attend all sessions.
- The seminar series will be made available to all probation officers on the 'Pathways project' (see DoH 2011) funded by the Ministry of Justice that involves Millfields (where Chris Scanlon is employed as Consultant Psychotherapist), Forensic Intensive Psychological Treatment Service (FIPTS), Forensic mental Heath Services, South London and Maudsley NHS Trust and the Bracton Centre, Oxleas Mental Health Trust.
- A cross disciplinary Professional Doctorate in 'Psychosocial Clinical Practice' is planned to run in the School of Law and Social Science, University of East London. All students will be encouraged to attend events.
- Students on a range of Professional Doctorate programmes run in collaborative partnership between the University of East London and the Tavistock Foundation Clinic will be encouraged to participate. David Jones sits on the Tavistock-UEL Strategic Partnership Board.
The events will feed directly into a number of publication initiatives:
- David Jones (PI) has already been commissioned already to write a book by Routledge with the title: Disordered Personalities and Crime: A Psychosocial History of 'Moral Insanity'. This is due to appear in 2014.
- Co-investigator Chris Scanlon will work with Anna Motz to edit a book on 'Gender and Forensic Mental Health', which is an important theme of the third year.
- Chris Scanlon and David Jones will edit a cross disciplinary collection towards the end of the series that will directly draw from work that emerges during the series.
- We are already discussing special editions of the journals of 'Psychoanalysis, Culture and Society', 'Critical Social Policy', and the 'International Journal of Therapeutic Communities'.
Organisations
- The Open University (Lead Research Organisation)
- Planned Environment Therapy Trust (Collaboration)
- QUEEN MARY UNIVERSITY OF LONDON (Collaboration)
- Association for Psychosocial Studies (Collaboration)
- Immigrant Counselling and Psychotherapy (Collaboration)
- Daedalus Trust (Collaboration)
- The Institute Of Group Analysis (Collaboration)
- SWANSEA UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- Bournemouth University (Collaboration)
- Emergence Plus CIC (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON (Collaboration)
Publications
Jones DW
(2017)
Moral insanity and psychological disorder: the hybrid roots of psychiatry.
in History of psychiatry
Jones, D, W
(2018)
Violent States and Creative States Volume 1
Jones, D. W
(2017)
Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Criminology
| Description | The seminar series has invigorated cross-disciplinary debate on the significance of the diagnosis of 'antisocial personality disorder' and related diagnostic categories, such as psychopathy, sociopathy, or moral insanity. In seeking to develop and promote cross disciplinary perspectives the series has successfully brought together: • academics from a range of academic disciplines - psychology, sociology, history, philosophy and literature - involving collaboration with academic networks such as History of Emotions, Media and the Inner World, and the Association for Psychosocial Studies and with colleagues from the EU and the United States. • practitioners such as psychiatrists, social workers, psychologists, psychotherapists, probation workers, and prison workers. We have worked with practitioner organisations such as The Institute for Group Analysis (IGA), Immigrant Counselling and Psychotherapy (ICAP). • service user groups representing the views of a range of people who have had experience with these diagnoses. Several strands of work emerging from the series pose challenges to the existing views of ASPD (or psychopathy) as a disorder that can simply be understood as existing within individuals (either as a fixed personality type or brain condition). Whilst this perspective has been gaining ground in the media (and is often promoted among professional groups) this seminar series has shown that there are good grounds to question the paradigm that has had very damaging consequences. The historical and philosophical work supported in the early part of the series has established how the various psychiatric diagnoses associated with violence and anti-social behaviour have been shaped very differently by the particular, and shifting, social and cultural circumstances over the past 200 years. Whilst there have been pressures to maintain a view that there are individuals who are inherently predisposed to antisocial behaviour, the claims have been made with little supporting evidence and detrimental consequences. Subsequent poor relationships between service users and professionals needs to understood in this context. What we are terming a psychosocial understanding of personality disorder provides a helpful way forward in opening up a number of new research questions. As the series developed it became clear that work from practice emphasised links between a number of related mental states such as the narcissistic and borderline (characterised by such problems as self-harm) conditions. The proposed approach suggests that there are underlying psychosocial phenomena that may encourage such mental states and this understanding provides a framework for understanding a number of significant social problems: • gender based violence, • extremist violence, • self-harming behaviour and the problems encountered in complex needs services (whose clients are often characterised by multiple problems such as drug addiction, homelessness and destructive behaviour). In addition to the significance of social and cultural conditions, the psychosocial approach has also highlighted the significance of organisational dynamics that may allow or perpetuate the conditions that create such destructive states of mind. The importance of involving service user groups has been highlighted as of being of crucial importance in the protection from damaging practice and institutional abuse. This is important given the degree of stigma generated by the individualistic models that have dominated practice and research. There has been a strand of historical work that has resulted in significant publication and further funding from the British Academy and Leverhulme (SG152275). |
| Exploitation Route | The series demonstrates the power of cross-disciplinary thinking that can be brought to contemporary social problems. The power of historical work in exposing the social pressures that can shape thinking in the present has been amply demonstrated. The work emerging from the seminar series suggests that 'antisocial personality disorder' (and related diagnoses such as psychopathy) cannot be understood in terms of disorders that simply reside within individuals. Instead we argue that there are a series of related underlying mental states that need to be understood as psychosocial phenomena. They are mental states that are connected to individual experience and the social and cultural world surrounding us. Further exploration of those psychosocial mental states can help us understand a number of contemporary social problems, such as • gender based violence, • extremist violence, • self-harming behaviour and the problems encountered in complex needs services (whose clients are often characterised by multiple problems such as drug addiction, homelessness and destructive behaviour). The importance of building links between practice groups and service user groups has been demonstrated to be of crucial importance. There have been highly damaging and stigmatising models that have been used in the past. |
| Sectors | Education,Healthcare,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| URL | http://aspd-incontext.org/ |
| Description | The central to the aim of the series was to develop cross disciplinary dialogue about the nature and problems presented by 'antisocial personality disorder'. We were very successful in bringing together cross-disciplinary groups to our seminars over the 3 year period. We have brought in speakers and audience members from probation services, psychiatry, psychotherapy, and service user groups - alongside academics and researchers from different disciplines. Details of the seminars are available at the following website: http://aspd-incontext.org We see this as a long-term project that will continue to bear fruit for many years. The development of ideas and collaborative links have been developed over the period of the grant and beyond. David W Jones (PI) now works for the Open University where the work developed during the series is informing future curriculum development as the school of Psychology. There have already been significant publication and this will continue. There are a number of strands of this project worth drawing attention to: Experts by experience The involvement of experts by experience - the perspective of those who have experienced the diagnoses has been very important - we organised one of the seminars around this important topic, in collaboration with the expert by experience group 'Emergence'. This led to significant shaping of important themes as well as helping to shape subsequent work (notably the work on 'borderline', see below). A psychosocial condition The importance of understanding 'antisocial personality disorder' as a psychosocial condition led to some important developments. On the one hand it can only be understood as a state of mind that bears important similarities with others that are associated with different diagnostic categories. On the other hand such states of mind develop and are sustained within institutional contexts. We came across clear evidence that the degree of overlap with other states of mind such as narcissistic and borderline disorders was important. We organized two of the later seminars specifically on these themes (focusing on how borderline personality disorders appear to be emerging as very contemporary conditions, and understanding forms of narcissistic leadership have emerged as visible problems). The 'borderline' seminar was run in collaboration with the Institute of Group Analysis, whilst the narcissism and leadership seminar was run in collaboration with Maynard Leigh Associates who run leadership and organisational change training programmes in the corporate sector. Institutional contexts In order to understand more about the significance of institutions, we collaborated with ICAP (Immigrant Counselling and Psychotherapy) to organise a seminar (February 2016) that looked at the relationship between abusive behaviour and its institutional context. We used the experiences of institutionalised abuse in Ireland as a case study. We held an extremely well received seminar that brought together a number of speakers from Ireland and involved practitioners, academics and those who had experienced of abuse themselves. The practitioners attending found it extremely valuable in helping them understand aspects of the work that they do with individuals traumatised by such experiences. Some of the difficulties of the work need to be understood in terms of the complex dynamics that we are helping to understand. David Jones and Christopher Scanlon are now part of a group, with ICAP, involved in organising a day event to be held in Dublin, with the 'Department of Education' in Ireland and Caranua (a government sponsored body tasked with managing the claims for compensation of the victims of historical abuse). Further Borderline Projects In May 2016 we organised a seminar, in collaboration with the 'Institute of Group Analysis' based in London, on the topic of 'borderline states of mind'. This served to extend thinking about links between ASPD and borderline personality disorder. The brought in scholars from the United States and UK. This work has been extended as a new research group has emerged (involving collaboration between the universities of Swansea, Bournemouth, Southampton and The Open University. Work is being funded by The Open University (Strategic Research Funding) to organise a series of workshops to develop further research on this topic. The history of the personality disorder diagnosis The seminar series supported substantial work on the history of the diagnoses -resulting in the publication of Disordered Personality and Crime: A History of Moral Insanity published by Routledge in 2016. This has received outstanding international reviews. Also a paper in the History of Psychiatry that makes contribution not only to the history of the associated diagnostic categories but makes substantial contribution towards a more nuanced understanding of the history of psychiatry - this has been downloaded over 1250 times in the 12 month since publication. The work of the series led to a successful bid to the British Academy for research to support and work with the Planned Environment Therapy Trust - who hold the archives of a number of treatment centres that have been important to developing ideas about the nature and treatment of such disorders. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2016 |
| Sector | Healthcare,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Impact Types | Societal,Policy & public services |
| Description | British Academy/Leverhulme Small Grants |
| Amount | £9,855 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | SG152275 |
| Organisation | The British Academy |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2016 |
| End | 05/2018 |
| Description | Strategic Research Investment Funding |
| Amount | £4,360 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Open University |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2018 |
| End | 08/2018 |
| Description | Antisocial organisations -Antisocial personalities |
| Organisation | Immigrant Counselling and Psychotherapy |
| Country | Ireland |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | We worked alongside ICAP to organise this seminar. Chris Scanlon (Co-investigator) was able to bring speakers and attendees from the Institute of Group Analysis (IGA). |
| Collaborator Contribution | ICAP are voluntary sector service based in London that provide counselling and psychotherapy services mainly for people with Irish backgrounds who live in London. They were able to help us bring together people who have had experience of 'institutional abuse' in Ireland. There have been highly significant revelations over the past couple of decades about the degree and scale of abuse that had occurred in institutions (often run by the Church in Ireland). Some of this work has great potential for helping us understand the dynamic between individual abusers (and the character/personalities and circumstances of those individuals), the impact on individuals and the institutions that all such 'allows' such abuse. |
| Impact | We will continue to have conversations about further collaborations - in particular we have in mind further collaboration over planning a seminar on the issue of personality disorder and psychosocial dynamic homelessness, long-term unemployment and general complex social/emotional needs. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Association for Psychosocial Studies |
| Organisation | Association for Psychosocial Studies |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Learned Society |
| PI Contribution | We have organised events in partnership with the Association for Psychosocial Studies (APS). The society is a new one having recently been recognised as a learned society by the Academy for Social Sciences. The involvement of the APS with this seminar series has been helpful in publicizing the work of both the APS and the seminar series. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Events in the series have been publicised through the APS communication networks. |
| Impact | We are likely to collaborate over future research and are negotiating to produce a special edition of the 'Journal of Psychosocial Studies' (a journal run by the APS). |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Bournemouth University |
| Organisation | Bournemouth University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We organised the event with Media and the Inner World (MiW) who are based at Bournemouth University and Roehampton. David Jones (PI) gave the opening talk that was an overview of the significance of the interaction of media representations and legal and psychiatric debates about the diagnoses. This led to Professor Candida Yates's talk on the specific case of the film 'Taxi Driver' that played such a significant role in the trial of John Hinkley. This trial in turn has had a huge impact the 'insanity defence' across the USA and particularly in its relation to personality disorder'. |
| Collaborator Contribution | 'Media and the Inner World' provided the venue at Bournemouth University with no cost. We used the grant money purely for the travel and accommodation costs of speakers/organisers. We were able to bring together academics with interest in the media (notably Professors Barry Richards and Candida Yates) with academic practitioner lawyers (Dr Alison Cronin) and Dr Bradley Hillier (Forensic Psychiatrist). |
| Impact | Some the discussion at this seminar led to a focus on the significance of contemporary media representations of 'extremism'. We agreed to hold another workshop in early March at Bournemouth to explore possibilities of further collaboration. Professor Barry Richards has agreed to give a paper at the next full scale seminar on 'Disordered Personalities and Extremism' seminar that was held on March 21st 2016. Subsequent to this David W Jones has collaborated with Professor Barry Richards on a successful bid for further funding from The Open University to study the increasing difficulties posed by the problems associated with the diagnosis of 'borderline personality disorder'. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Historical Perspectives on 'antisocial personality disorder and 'moral insanity' |
| Organisation | Queen Mary University of London |
| Department | Centre for the History of the Emotions |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We organised the first seminar in the series in collaboration with the 'Centre for the History of the Emotions' based in Queen Mary (University of London). The aim of the Award is to create interest in and thus build capacity in the area of cross-disciplinary perspectives on 'antisocial personality disorder. We arranged for Professor Nicole Rafter (based in the United States) to come and give a paper. She has written some of the best known work on the history of the moral insanity diagnosis. She gave a paper that addressed the question about 'why' the various diagnoses had survived for as long as they had done so - given that the various diagnoses had always faced trenchant criticism. She argued that some of the key pressures came from 'social control professionals' who needed to justify their status and role by the claim to posses useful knowledge about dangerous individuals. In addition, she suggested, that 'we' as the general public also find these diagnoses comforting as explanations for dangerous and threatening behaviour. David W Jones (PI) gave a paper that traced some themes in the history of the diagnosis of 'moral insanity' from its appearance towards the end of the 18th century through the 19th and into the 20th century. He argued that the categories have always been contentious as they are the product of 2 forces that are sometimes in conflict: the needs of criminal justice systems, and of the systems of welfare in relation to mental illness. He argued that ideas have always been crucially shaped in 'the public sphere' and were thus subject to 'our' fears, anxieties and hopes - the particular problem being that anxiety was very present, not only about violence but also anxiety about sex and sexuality seemed to emerge quite frequently. There were a series of papers that were telling the story of the history of these categories from different parts of the world. Emilia Musumeci traced the history of 'moral insanity' in Italy in 19th century, that was to produce the influential work of Cesare Lombroso. Felix Schermann discussed how biological theories came to dominate thinking on this issue in 19th century Germany. Bollette Frydendahl Larsen described her research into how the category of psychopath was imported to Denmark as an explanation for young women whose behaviour came to be viewed as 'incorrigible' in the early 20th century. Katariina Parhi talked about her research, the first of its kind, on the development of the use of the category of 'psychopath' in Finland. |
| Collaborator Contribution | We held the day long seminar at QMUL under the auspices of 'The Centre for the History of Emotions'. The call for papers for the event went out in collaboration with 'The Centre for the History of Emotions' and the papers were jointly selected. |
| Impact | A day long seminar was held on 12th May 2014 called 'Historical Perspectives on antisocial personality disorder and moral insanity'. We invited speakers from the United States, Netherlands, Italy, Denmark and Sweden. In addition to the speakers we attracted around 40 participant including academic historians, sociologists, philosophers, psychologists as well as people working in the health and welfare services including probation officers, psychiatrists and psychologists. We also had participants coming from various voluntary sector groups and representatives of service user organisations (Emergence). |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | Historical Perspectives on 'antisocial personality disorder and 'moral insanity' |
| Organisation | Queen Mary University of London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We organised the first seminar in the series in collaboration with the 'Centre for the History of the Emotions' based in Queen Mary (University of London). The aim of the Award is to create interest in and thus build capacity in the area of cross-disciplinary perspectives on 'antisocial personality disorder. We arranged for Professor Nicole Rafter (based in the United States) to come and give a paper. She has written some of the best known work on the history of the moral insanity diagnosis. She gave a paper that addressed the question about 'why' the various diagnoses had survived for as long as they had done so - given that the various diagnoses had always faced trenchant criticism. She argued that some of the key pressures came from 'social control professionals' who needed to justify their status and role by the claim to posses useful knowledge about dangerous individuals. In addition, she suggested, that 'we' as the general public also find these diagnoses comforting as explanations for dangerous and threatening behaviour. David W Jones (PI) gave a paper that traced some themes in the history of the diagnosis of 'moral insanity' from its appearance towards the end of the 18th century through the 19th and into the 20th century. He argued that the categories have always been contentious as they are the product of 2 forces that are sometimes in conflict: the needs of criminal justice systems, and of the systems of welfare in relation to mental illness. He argued that ideas have always been crucially shaped in 'the public sphere' and were thus subject to 'our' fears, anxieties and hopes - the particular problem being that anxiety was very present, not only about violence but also anxiety about sex and sexuality seemed to emerge quite frequently. There were a series of papers that were telling the story of the history of these categories from different parts of the world. Emilia Musumeci traced the history of 'moral insanity' in Italy in 19th century, that was to produce the influential work of Cesare Lombroso. Felix Schermann discussed how biological theories came to dominate thinking on this issue in 19th century Germany. Bollette Frydendahl Larsen described her research into how the category of psychopath was imported to Denmark as an explanation for young women whose behaviour came to be viewed as 'incorrigible' in the early 20th century. Katariina Parhi talked about her research, the first of its kind, on the development of the use of the category of 'psychopath' in Finland. |
| Collaborator Contribution | We held the day long seminar at QMUL under the auspices of 'The Centre for the History of Emotions'. The call for papers for the event went out in collaboration with 'The Centre for the History of Emotions' and the papers were jointly selected. |
| Impact | A day long seminar was held on 12th May 2014 called 'Historical Perspectives on antisocial personality disorder and moral insanity'. We invited speakers from the United States, Netherlands, Italy, Denmark and Sweden. In addition to the speakers we attracted around 40 participant including academic historians, sociologists, philosophers, psychologists as well as people working in the health and welfare services including probation officers, psychiatrists and psychologists. We also had participants coming from various voluntary sector groups and representatives of service user organisations (Emergence). |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | Institute of Group Analysis |
| Organisation | The Institute Of Group Analysis |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | We worked with the Institute for Group Analysis to organise the seminar held on 15th May 2017 on the topic of 'Borderline States of Mind and destructive Feelings: A diagnosis for our times?'. |
| Collaborator Contribution | We were able to use the venue and publicity networks of the IGA to publicize the event. |
| Impact | The event in May 2017 was very successful and will likely lead to further collaboration. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Institutional Abusers |
| Organisation | Immigrant Counselling and Psychotherapy |
| Country | Ireland |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | We worked together to organise a seminar called 'Antisocial Personalities: Antisocial Organisations. What Has Been Learned from 'Institutional abuse'?' The focus was the story that has emerged from the scandals of institutional child abuse that have emerged from Ireland. The perspective that we are developing through this series - understanding the contexts in which highly antisocial behaviour arises and is allowed to flourish was very helpful. |
| Collaborator Contribution | ICAP have been working in this area for some years. They had good contacts with Carunua - the organisation funded to deal with survivors and the compensation issues. We brought over speakers from Ireland with expertise and knowledge of the issues. This was a very constructive day, with particularly strong feedback from professionals attending. We are also exploring the possibility of organsing a similar event in Ireland - as it was felt by attendees from Ireland that the perspective we were offering was very helpful. |
| Impact | It is multidisciplinary. ICAP are a 'third sector' organisaiton providing counselling and therapy services largely to people with of Irish descent living in London. A number of their service users have suffered traumatic childhoods including the experiences of institutional abuse. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Narcissism and Daedalus trust |
| Organisation | Daedalus Trust |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | We organised a one day seminar on the topic of 'Narcissism and Destructive Leadership' on 16th June 2017. We brought a cross disciplinary experts |
| Collaborator Contribution | The seminar caught the attention of the Deadalus Trust, run by Lord David Owen. They publicized the event and agreed to host video presentations from the event on their website. |
| Impact | The Daedalus Trust have agreed to host filmed presentations from event - subject to editing. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Planned Environment Therapy Trust |
| Organisation | Planned Environment Therapy Trust |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | The Planned Environment Therapy Trust Archive hold the records of a number of institutions that have been very innovative in the treatments and interventions with young people seen as exhibiting antisocial behaviours and 'character disorders'. David W Jones worked with the archivist to put together a research proposal to the British Academy Small Grants scheme. This provided a theoretical rationale for the historical interest in 2 particular institutions that have been influential on thinking about these problems. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The PETT Archive is a unique archive and the knowledge of the archivist Craig Fees has been invaluable. |
| Impact | We made a successful bid to the British Academy for a project entitled 'Charting the links between community therapies, psychiatric diagnosis and Mental Health policy: A Study of the archives of Hawkspur Camp (1936-1940) and Mulberry Bush School (1948-2000). This is reported elsewhere as an item under 'Further funding'. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Service user perspectives |
| Organisation | Emergence Plus CIC |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | We organised the workshop alongside Emergence. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Emergence is a service user led organisation, run by people who have experience of being treated with a diagnosis of personality disorder. It seems very important to us that we are able to give credit to this perspective. They ran a workshop that was attended by professionals - such as those working in housing, probation services. This all helped us together to understand the meaning of diagnoses like this. This will be an important perspective as the series continues and has already had some impact on significant publications that have emerged from the series. |
| Impact | The collaboration with Emergence has already informed the conclusions of the book recently published by the David W Jones 'Disordered Personalities and Crine: An analysis of the history of moral insanity'. (Routledge 2016). |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Southampton - Borderline project |
| Organisation | University of Southampton |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Dr Jo Brown was invited to the seminar we held on the 5th May 2017 on 'Borderline States of Mind and destructive Feelings: A diagnosis for our times?'. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Dr Jo Brown has research and clinical experience of working with people with 'borderline' diagnoses. She also has experience of working expert by experience groups. She is now part of collaboration between David Jones (The Open University), and Dr Nilufar Ahmad (Swansea) and Professor Barry Richards - to seek funding for further work on the rise of the broderline diagnosis. |
| Impact | We have won funding from the 'Strategic Research and Infrastructure Fund' based at the Open University to carry forward and develop work on 'borderline personality disorder'. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Swansea University |
| Organisation | Swansea University |
| Department | Department of Public Health, Policy, and Social Sciences |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Dr Nlilufar Ahmed was invited to attend the seminar organised as part of the series on 'Borderline States of Mind and destructive Feelings: A diagnosis for our times?'. She has been involved in the evaluation of service provision aimed at the problem of self harm - project entitled SWISH (Social support and Wellbeing Intervention following Self Harm). |
| Collaborator Contribution | Dr Ahmed contributed to the seminar and has been involved in further collaboration and funding. |
| Impact | Dr Ahmed is part of collaborative project led by David Jones to further study the emergent problems associated with the diagnosis of 'borderline personality disorder' (and Emotionally Unstable PD as this is sometimes referred). We have already successfully applied for research grant within The Open University's 'Strategic Research Investment Funding' to pursue this further - along with collaborative partners at Bournemouth and Southampton Universities. |
| Start Year | 2017 |