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Little research has been conducted on the public perception of mental health courts (MHCs) despite its potential to influence government support and funding. To measure public and professionals’ opinions about MHCs, self-report attitude measures were administered online to members of the general public (n = 272) and professional groups with previous employment-related exposure to persons with mental health issues (n = 237). Over 86% of the professional exposure sample had positive attitudes towards MHCs, whereas only 4% reported negative opinions. Approximately 70% of professionals supported government funding for a MHC in their community and 57% agreed even if this led to a tax increase. The public sample was also generally positive in their opinions, and only 3% reported negative opinions. Approximately 80% of public sample reported that they would support or strongly support government funding for a MHC in their community, and 58% would support it even if it led to a tax increase. Positive attitudes were predicted by prior knowledge of MHCs, older age, exposure to mental-health coursework, psychological openness, positive help-seeking attitudes, and positive attitudes towards mental illness in general. These patterns were similar, but varying in degree, for those with and without employment-related exposure to mental illness. Education about the effect of a specific MHC led to significant changes in the proportion of favourable opinions. Thus, public perception of MHCs ranged from neutral to positive and can be enhanced through education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed the validity and stability of the Swedish developed Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI; Andershed, Kerr, Stattin, & Levander, 2002) in Canadian nonforensic young adults. In Study 1, a total of 217 undergraduates completed the YPI as well as the Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised (PPI-R; Lilienfeld & Widows, 2005) and the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (LSRP; Levenson, Kiehl, & Fitzpatrick, 1995). These measures were completed twice, with a mean of 28 days between administrations. Total YPI was strongly correlated with the PPI-R but also with the LSRP subscales. YPI higher order dimensions were meaningfully correlated with PPI-R dimensions of similar content. The YPI yielded fairly high temporal stability and was similar to the PPI-R and LSRP Primary Psychopathy scale. Using 111 undergraduates, in Study 2, we found the YPI was positively associated with antisocial attitudes and impulsivity and negatively associated with agreeableness and conscientiousness. This research extends the validity of the YPI beyond adolescents to Canadian young adults from nonforensic settings. Given its promise as a measure of psychopathic traits in adolescents and young adults, the YPI may prove useful in longitudinal research across these developmental periods.