Aftermath Mission

The Aftermath: Surviving Psychopathy Foundation is dedicated to educating the public regarding the nature of psychopathy and its cost to individuals and society.

We seek to support the families and victims of those with psychopathy.

We support research that aims to: prevent or minimize the development of psychopathic traits, reduce the impact of psychopathic traits, and understand and treat the aftermath of psychopathy. Our ultimate goal is to reduce the negative impact of psychopathy on the families and victims of psychopathic individuals.

Educating the Public

The nature of psychopathy is still not well understood or recognized by the general public. The Aftermath Foundation recognizes the importance of providing the public with accurate research based information that conveys a clear picture of psychopathy. The Aftermath Foundation website continues to be the primary vehicle used to provide visitors with reliable, current information about psychopathy. One of our primary focuses in 2014 has been upgrading our website and expanding the information it provides. In response to the cross cultural and nationally diverse nature of psychopathy, French, Spanish, German and Indonesian translations were added to the website.

The Research Committee began providing summaries of important research on psychopathy to help educate the public about important findings. The first summary was written for the journal article by Dr. R. J. Blair, “Responding to the emotions of others: Dissociating forms of empathy through the study of typical and psychiatric populations, (2005)”. The title of the summary is, “People with psychopathy have trouble with emotional empathy”, which can be found on the Aftermath website, where it has been viewed 835 times since January. If you would like to read it, click HERE

Another summary was added to the website for the journal article by Dr. M. Koenigs, “The role of prefrontal cortex in psychopathy, (2012)”. The title of this summary is “Psychopathy and the brain: Are there neurological correlates of morality, decision-making, and social emotions”. This summary has been viewed 683 times since January. Click HERE to read.

Individuals who have been affected by someone with psychopathic traits need a safe place to share their story and dialogue with others who have been impacted. Our moderated Survivor’s Forum provides that secure place. Over the past year we have had over 300 active forum members reading, posting and providing encouragement and support for others.

Aftermath has developed workshops for counselors, lawyers, judicial / family court staff, and clergy help to educate them about the nature and impact of psychopathy. Through these workshops, we increase the likelihood that professionals will be able to recognize some of the harmful behaviors that characterize individuals with psychopathic traits, determine when formal psychopathy assessments are warranted, and deal more effectively with people with psychopathic features. In November 2014, Dr. David Kosson presented a 90 minute workshop for the Illinois Psychological Association entitled “Working Effectively with Individuals Recovering from Traumatic Relationships with Psychopathic Individuals.” It was designed for psychotherapists working with clients who are recovering from traumatic relationships with psychopathic individuals and was very well received. The workshop was coauthored by Drs. Jill Ricke, Paul Babiak, and Robert Schug.

Supporting Families and Victims

Individuals impacted by psychopathy frequently find it challenging to find people who can knowledgeably answer their questions or suggest resources that may assist them on their road to recovery. In 2014, we responded to 50 requests for help from people in 5 different countries. These responses provide information about resources (including resources on the website and links to other organizations) and, when possible, referrals to professionals (counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists) who are familiar with psychopathy.

Supporting Research

To date, the Aftermath Foundation has provided research grants to three different young researchers working to conduct research consistent with our mission. The second of these research projects is now completed, and a summary report by the researcher, Lien Geukens, has been included with this report.