Describing Changes in Features of Psychopathy Via an Individual-Level Measure of P(Δ)

Abstract

Low self control has been the principal focus of population heterogeneity perspectives in terms of capturing an individual’s antisocial and criminal propensity (ACP). However, conceptual descriptions of the stability of psychopathy, combined with evidence that this construct predicts chronic and violent offending, implies that it may be a more accurate indicator of ACP. The current study evaluated this assertion by examining the extent to which features of psychopathy were defined by relative change. Using data on adolescent males from the Pathways to Desistance Study (n = 1170), the current study introduced P(∆i) as a new analytic strategy suitable for examining whether a person’s within-individual change on a given construct resulted in between-person differences. In applying P(∆i) to test scores on the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI), little support was found for features of psychopathy as a stable indicator of ACP between adolescence and adulthood. Contrary to expectations from a population heterogeneity perspective, higher test scores on the YPI were associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing relative decreases in features of psychopathy. Interpersonal features of psychopathy were most likely to change. Assertions about adolescents with features of psychopathy as posing a life-long risk for reoffending may require revisitation. Replication is needed using expert rating tools as opposed to tools that only rely on self-reported information.