An investigation of the triarchic model of psychopathy and self-reported Cluster B personality disorder traits.

Abstract

Cluster B personality traits often co-occur with psychopathic traits. However, few investigations have been conducted to understand the high co-occurrence of antisocial (ASPD), borderline (BPD), narcissistic (NPD), and histrionic (HPD) personality disorder traits and psychopathy. The triarchic model of psychopathy is a framework that focuses on dispositional constructs (meanness, boldness, and disinhibition) with neurobiological and developmental correlates that may be particularly useful in elucidating the overlap between Cluster B personality traits and psychopathy. This study investigated how the triarchic model relates to Cluster B personality traits. Two independent samples completed self-report measures of personality disorder traits. Sample 1 consists of 508 adults, and Sample 2 consists of 529 undergraduate students. Disinhibition positively predicted all Cluster B PDs. Meanness positively predicted ASPD, NPD, and BPD, and negatively predicted HPD. Boldness positively predicted ASPD, NPD, and HPD and negatively predicted BPD. Overall, our study provides insights into how these disorders may fit within new dimensional models of psychopathology and provides information regarding how transdiagnostic features (e.g., boldness) exist among the Cluster B personality disorder traits. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).