Assessing Psychopathic Traits Early in Development: Testing Potential Associations with Social, Behavioral, and Affective Factors

Abstract

The Child Problematic Traits Inventory (CPTI) enables the assessment of psychopathy dimensions as early as age three. The current study employs a multi-informant approach (i.e., fathers, mothers, and teachers) to further investigate the unique associations between psychopathy dimensions, as measured by the CPTI, with theoretically relevant constructs of interest, such as conduct problems, oppositionality, empathy, and social relations, in early childhood (N = 1283, M age = 6.35). Although associations with conduct, aggressive, and oppositional behaviours differed in strength, our findings supported the importance of all psychopathy dimensions in predicting behavioral problems. Our findings also suggested a unique association of the callous-unemotional dimension with affective empathy. Furthermore, stronger associations were identified between the callous-unemotional and impulsive need for stimulation dimensions with social problems (e.g., peer and family relations) compared to the grandiose-deceitful dimension. Current findings can inform prevention and intervention efforts aiming to alter the development of psychopathic traits.