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Palo Alto University Hosts Free Talk Featuring World-Renowned Expert on Psychopathy and Forensic Assessment

FREE presentation by Martin Sellbom, Ph.D. August 23 

 

In conjunction with this month’s Summer Training Institute hosted by Palo Alto University (PAU) and CONCEPT Professional Training, the PAU community is invited to a hear Martin Sellbom, Ph.D. present: “There…and Back Again: A tale of Psychopathy as a Diagnostic Construct.”  Sellbom is an internationally-renowned expert on psychopathy and forensic assessment. He specializes in court-ordered forensic psychological evaluations and evaluations for public safety positions. He has been featured in over 185 peer-reviewed publications and is editor-in-chief of Journal of Personality Assessment. He will also lead a one-day workshop on Juvenile Forensic Psychological Evaluations at the Summer Training Institute.

 

WHO:         Open to the public. PAU students, alumni, faculty, staff and practicum site staff are encouraged to attend.

WHEN:      August 23 from 1pm to 4pm

WHERE:   Wisniewski Hall, Palo Alto University, Allen Calvin Campus.  Parking is limited; carpooling is encouraged

 

MORE INFORMATION: Contact Chris Weaver, Ph.D. at cweaver@paloaltou.edu.

ABSTRACT: Psychopathy is an important clinical construct recognized well before the contemporary nomenclature of mental disorders.  In this seminar, historical conceptions of psychopathy and their evolution into contemporary models are reviewed, with a particular focus on both commonalities and current controversies. Major measurement modalities used to capture these different perspectives will be reviewed. An alternative model for diagnosing personality disorders included in the DSM-5 is also described, followed by consideration of implications of this model for understanding the interplay between psychopathy and the current diagnosis of Antisocial Personality disorder (ASPD). The proposed shift in defining ASPD, from a behaviorally-oriented diagnosis to one that provides better coverage of psychopathic personality traits is discussed in the context of historical and contemporary evolutions of psychopathy conceptualizations. Future directions, including the possible inclusion of psychopathy as a DSM-defined clinical diagnosis, are proposed.

ABOUT THE PRESENTER: Martin Sellbom, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. He received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in 2007 from Kent State University (Kent, Ohio, USA). Prior to his current position, he worked at the University of Alabama and the Australian National University. Dr. Sellbom’s research focuses on psychopathy and other personality disorders (with a current focus on DSM-5 developments), the broader integration of personality and psychopathology, and personality assessment with the MMPI-2 and MMPI-2-RF (especially in forensic settings). His work has been featured in over 185 peer-reviewed publications and he has won several awards, including the American Psychology-Law Society’s Saleem Shah Award and Society for Personality Assessment’s Samuel and Anne Beck Award – both for early career achievement. Dr. Sellbom currently serves as the Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Personality Assessment. For his clinical practice, he specializes in court-ordered forensic psychological evaluations and evaluations for public safety positions.