To Better Understand the Link between Psychopathy and Antisocial Behavior: Moderation by Dispositional Mindfulness

Abstract

Background: Dispositional mindfulness deficits and psychopathic personality traits have been shown to be closely associated and independent predictors of antisocial behaviors (AB) in young adults. However, the interaction effects of these 2 factors have not yet been explored. The aim of this study was to examine the contribution of dispositional mindfulness and psychopathic traits to ABs in a college student sample. Methods: Participants were 1,572 students from different French universities who completed self-report questionnaires. Regression analyses were conducted in order to test a moderation model between psychopathic traits and AB. Results: Moderation analyses revealed that dispositional mindfulness interacted with psychopathic personality traits in predicting AB. In males with high levels of dispositional mindfulness, as psychopathic traits increased, AB increased less than in males with low levels of dispositional mindfulness. Conclusions: The present study suggests possible implications for prevention and treatment of AB among non-clinical young adults with relatively high psychopathic traits.