Through centuries and across continents, the singular condition which brings afflicted individuals in conflict with society is what might be broadly regarded as psychopathic disorder. Within the considerable body of knowledge amassed, the investigator who has indisputably made the most substantial contribution is Robert Hare, whose conceptualization of psychopathy is measurable as a superarching dimension and with subdimensions or factors and their facets. The instrument for identifying and measuring psychopathy, the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), commonly regarded as the gold standard for psychopathy research (Westen Weinberger, 2004), is widely used internationally for psychopathy research. Authors from four international domains – Germanic, Italian, Nordic and English – briefly describe the development of concepts of the psychopathic disorder, the influence of psychopathy as defined by Hare, as well as research and practical applications of PCL-R psychopathy and/or specific contributions concerning psychopathy within each of the domains. From the richness and diversity of investigative productivity within each of these domains, one can readily appreciate the impact of Hare’s work both within and between these major domains.
Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic led to major societal changes. Although the pandemic has significantly impacted the way we work, few studies have examined its effects on the prevalence of illegitimate tasks, i.e., tasks that are perceived as either unnecessary or unreasonable. Occupational groups were likely affected differently. This study investigates the prevalence of illegitimate tasks for registered nurses, teachers, IT specialists, and construction workers in pre-pandemic (2018), early-pandemic (2020), late-pandemic (2022), and post-pandemic (2024) periods. Methods Data were collected from biennial waves of the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH), corresponding to pandemic periods (pre-, early-, late-, and post-pandemic). We included four different occupational groups that vary in terms of socially critical activities, the possibility of teleworking, and the level of social interactions required in the job: registered nurses (n = 385), teachers (n = 412), IT specialists (n = 353) and construction workers (n = 313). We employed Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) to assess changes in illegitimate tasks over time. Results Our longitudinal GEE models revealed that teachers reported a higher prevalence of illegitimate tasks than registered nurses, IT specialists, and construction workers. From the pre-pandemic period (2018) to the late-pandemic period (2022), all four occupational groups experienced a significant decrease in unreasonable tasks (adjusted for age), while unnecessary tasks decreased for all groups except teachers, for whom there was no significant change. By the post-pandemic period (2024), unnecessary tasks returned to pre-pandemic levels across all occupations, whereas unreasonable tasks remained at the lower, late-pandemic, level. Conclusions The level of illegitimate work varies across different occupations, with a higher prevalence in female-dominated, human service fields compared to male-dominated technical roles. Addressing the growing care needs with more human resources will be challenging. One possible solution is to increase available working time by reducing illegitimate and especially unnecessary tasks. Overall, this study contributes to a better understanding of how an important aspect of the work environment, illegitimate tasks, shifted during a period of major societal change.
BACKGROUND:Timely, individually tailored support for family caregivers of cancer patients is stressed, reinforcing the importance of implementing screening tools in clinical practice. AIM:This study aims to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Swedish CancerSupportSource-Caregiver among 145 Swedish family caregivers of persons diagnosed with cancer. METHODS:We evaluated the validity and reliability of the Swedish CancerSupportSource-Caregiver among 145 Swedish family caregivers of persons diagnosed with cancer who responded to the Swedish CancerSupportSource-Caregiver, sociodemographic questions, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Psychometric analyses were performed using descriptive statistics and classical test theory to evaluate data quality, targeting, scaling assumptions, and internal validity. Construct validity was assessed through confirmatory factor analysis; criterion validity through concurrent validity; and reliability through internal consistency. RESULT:Overall, in the sample, evaluations demonstrated generally satisfactory psychometric properties with respect to data quality, targeting, and scaling assumptions. The hypothesized five-domain model showed an acceptable fit to the data, although there were indices that it could be improved. Item loadings were generally high, supporting the proposed construct structure. Further, assessments of the criterion validity were satisfactory. However, the evaluations of internal validity and internal consistency indicated redundancy, mainly within the emotional well-being domain. CONCLUSION:The Swedish CancerSupportSource-Caregiver demonstrated preliminary satisfactory abilities to screen for support needs and psychological distress among Swedish family caregivers of persons diagnosed with cancer. Further evaluations in larger samples, using Rasch measurement theory, could provide a deeper understanding of the functioning of items and response options.
This study evaluates outdoor environmental interventions implemented by a municipal public housing provider in police-designated vulnerable residential areas in Gothenburg, Sweden. Using geocoded address-level crime data (2019–2023) and a staggered difference-in-differences design, we estimate the effects of such interventions on outdoor-related crime drawing on crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) and related environmental crime prevention approaches. Across multiple specifications and control groups, we find no statistically significant reductions following intervention exposure. Event-study estimates indicate no differential pre-treatment trends, and robustness checks yield substantively similar results. Descriptive spatial analyses show no consistent evidence of crime displacement. The findings suggest that broad, multi-purpose housing-led improvement strategies do not automatically translate into measurable crime reductions when preventive mechanisms are diffuse or weakly aligned with specific crime problems. The study highlights the importance of aligning environmental interventions with clearly defined crime problems and contributes to debates on the role of public housing providers in community safety governance.
