Compliance with containment measures to the COVID-19 pandemic over time: Do antisocial traits matter?

Abstract

This study investigated the relationships between antisocial traits and compliance with COVID-19 containment measures. The sample consisted of 1578 Brazilian adults aged 18–73 years who answered facets from the PID-5, the Affective resonance factor of the ACME, and a questionnaire about compliance with containment measures. Latent profile analyses indicated a 2-profile solution: the antisocial pattern profile which presented higher scores in Callousness, Deceitfulness, Hostility, Impulsivity, Irresponsibility, Manipulativeness, and Risk-taking, as well as lower scores in Affective resonance; and the empathy pattern profile which presented higher scores in Affective resonance and lower scores in ASPD typical traits. The latent profile groups showed significant differences between them and interaction with the containment measures and weeks. The antisocial and empathy groups showed significant differences. These differences were sustained in the interaction with the containment measures and weeks separately, but not when all were interacting together. Our findings indicated that antisocial traits, especially lower levels of empathy and higher levels of Callousness, Deceitfulness, and Risk-taking, are directly associated with lower compliance with containment measures. These traits explain, at least partially, the reason why people continue not adhering to the containment measures even with increasing numbers of cases and deaths.