Antisocial Personality Traits Research Articles

Belief in White Replacement

ABSTRACT The “White Replacement” conspiracy theory, that governments and corporations are “replacing” white people, is linked to several mass shootings. Given its recent ubiquity in elite rhetoric, concerns have arisen about the popularity of this conspiracy theory among the United States mass public. Further, political scientists have noted a need to understand why people believe or act upon this conspiracy theory. Using a 2022 US national survey (n = 2001), we find that a third of Americans agree that leaders are replacing white people with people of color. These beliefs are related to anti-social personality traits, various forms of nationalist and authoritarian sentiments, and negative sentiments toward immigrants, minorities, women, and the political establishment. Regression analysis however fails to find significant effects of partisanship and ideology on these beliefs. Further, we observed that these beliefs are related to a desire to engage in both normative (e.g., run for political office) and nonnormative political participation (e.g., commit violence). Given the popularity of White Replacement conspiracy theories in the US and elsewhere, our findings suggest new avenues for research into potentially dangerous beliefs, as well as xenophobia, antisemitism, racism, sexism, extremism, and political violence.

Criminality in patients with autoimmune encephalitis: A case series.

Despite it being an immunotherapy-responsive neurological syndrome, patients with autoimmune encephalitis (AE) frequently exhibit residual neurobehavioural features. Here, we report criminal behaviours as a serious and novel postencephalitic association. This retrospective cohort study included 301 AE patients. Five of who committed crimes underwent direct assessments and records review alongside autoantibody studies. Five of 301 patients (1.7%) with AE exhibited criminal behaviours, which included viewing child pornography (n = 3), repeated shoplifting, and conspiracy to commit murder. All five were adult males, with LGI1 autoantibodies (n = 3), CASPR2 autoantibodies, or seronegative AE. None had evidence of premorbid antisocial personality traits or psychiatric disorders. Criminal behaviours began a median of 18 months (range = 15 months-12 years) after encephalitis onset. At the time of crimes, two patients were immunotherapy-naïve, three had been administered late immunotherapies (at 5 weeks-4 months), many neurobehavioural features persisted, and new obsessive behaviours had appeared. However, cognition, seizure, and disability measures had improved, alongside reduced autoantibody levels. Criminal behaviours are a rare, novel, and stigmatizing residual neurobehavioural phenotype in AE, with significant social and legal implications. With caution towards overattribution, we suggest they occur as part of a postencephalitis limbic neurobehavioural syndrome.

Antisocial Personality Traits, Substance Use, and Somatization: A Brief Consideration of Their Interrelation.

The relationship between antisocial personality traits and the expression of somatic symptoms has been the subject of several theoretical and empirical investigations. The present study sought to advance the understanding of the relationship between these variables by testing two moderation models. It was hypothesized that the relationship between antisocial traits and somatization would be moderated by alcohol use, such that the presence of alcohol dependence would strengthen the relationship between antisocial traits and somatization. It was also hypothesized that gender would play a moderating role in the relationship between ASPD and somatization, such that the relationship would be stronger among women than among men. These models were tested in a sample of 787 criminal offenders. Gender did not emerge as a significant moderator in the relationship between antisocial traits and somatization. Although substance use did significantly moderate the relationship between antisocial traits and somatization, the direction of the effect ran counter to expectations: among participants reporting a history of alcohol dependency, the relationship between antisocial features and somatization was diminished. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Antisocial personality traits relationship with behaviours and beliefs on COVID-19 containment measures: Investigation in a large Brazilian sample.

In the COVID-19 context, traits associated with antisociality can decrease concern and awareness about the potential harmfulness of the virus. This study investigated associations of pathological traits of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) with behaviours and beliefs linked to COVID-19 containment measures. The sample consisted of 2230 Brazilian adults who answered ASPD-related facets of the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 and a questionnaire regarding adherence to COVID-19 containment measures. We applied the DSM-5 ASPD criteria to divide the sample into antisocial and non-antisocial groups. Our findings suggest that individuals meeting the criteria for ASPD tend to exhibit reduced compliance with pandemic control measures and lower adherence to hygiene practices. Moreover, sex, income, and age should be considered potential covariates in research investigating the relationship between antisocial traits and adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures. Altogether, our findings highlight ASPD traits' role in the predisposition to lack of prosocial behaviours of adherence to COVID-19 containment measures.

Antisocial Personality Traits Link Family of Origin Violence and Emotional Partner Abuse in College Students

Intimate partner violence (IPV), which can include physical and psychological harm toward an intimate partner, is a significant problem on college campuses with 20%–50% of college students reporting victimization during their college careers. The intergenerational transmission of violence theory suggests that Family of Origin Violence (FOV; e.g.,witnessingIPV between parental figures andexperiencingchildhood physical abuse) increases the likelihood of perpetrating IPV as an adult. FOV is also associated with an increased risk of developing antisocial personality traits, a correlate of IPV perpetration. We examined whether antisocial personality traits explained the relationship between FOV (i.e., experiencing and witnessing) and four different types of emotional partner abuse (i.e., restrictive engulfment, denigration, hostile withdrawal, and dominance/intimidation) while controlling for sex, alcohol, and drug use/problems. Experiencing FOV positively associated with restrictive engulfment emotional partner abuse (B= .04, 95% CI [.01, .08]), hostile withdrawal emotional partner abuse (B= .07, 95% CI [.03, .13]), and dominance/intimidation emotional partner abuse (B= .04, 95% CI [.01, .09]) through antisocial personality traits. These findings have implications for the long-term consequences of FOV.

Childhood trauma and anger in adults with and without depressive and anxiety disorders.

Childhood trauma (CT) is associated with severe sequelae, including stress-related mental health disorders that can perpetuate long into adulthood. A key mechanism in this relationship seems to be emotion regulation. We aimed to investigate (1) whether childhood trauma is associated with anger in adulthood, and, if so, (2) to explore which types of childhood trauma predominate in the prediction of anger in a cohort that included participants with and without current affective disorders. In the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA), childhood trauma was assessed with a semi-structured Childhood Trauma Interview (CTI) at baseline, and analyzed in relation to anger as measured at a 4-year follow-up with the Spielberger Trait Anger Subscale (STAS), the Anger Attacks Questionnaire, and cluster B personality traits (i.e., borderline, antisocial) of the Personality Disorder Questionnaire 4 (PDQ-4), using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Post hoc analyses comprised cross-sectional regression analyses, using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF) also obtained at a 4-year follow-up. Participants (n = 2271) were on average 42.1 years (SD = 13.1), and 66.2% were female. Childhood trauma showed a dose-response association with all anger constructs. All types of childhood trauma were significantly associated with borderline personality traits, independently of depression and anxiety. Additionally, all types of childhood trauma except for sexual abuse were associated with higher levels of trait anger, and a higher prevalence of anger attacks and antisocial personality traits in adulthood. Cross-sectionally, the effect sizes were larger compared with the analyses with the childhood trauma measured 4 years prior to the anger measures. Childhood trauma is linked with anger in adulthood, which could be of particular interest in the context of psychopathology. Focus on childhood traumatic experiences and adulthood anger may help to enhance the effectiveness of treatment for patients with depressive and anxiety disorders. Trauma-focused interventions should be implemented when appropriate.

Individual differences in antisocial personality traits are associated with distinct patterns of emotional somatosensation and natural body posture

Individual differences in antisocial personality traits are associated with distinct patterns of emotional somatosensation and natural body posture

Violence against a child: mistakes of aggression, indifference and submission and the formation of antisocial personality in women

The use of violence against a child is considered to be the cause of the development of an antisocial personality. Three parental mistakes were distinguished: a) aggression, b) indifference, and c) submission to the child, as constituting the feature of violence against a child. The aim of the study was to determine whether there is a relationship between parental violence and girls developing a meta-personality trait typical of antisocial personality, i.e. Disinhibition (Alpha minus), characterized by: high neuroticism, low agreeableness and conscientiousness.The study was performed on a sample of 402 women aged 34 on average. The study was self-report, retrospective. The women were asked to provide answers about their parents' parenting mistakes and their own personality traits.The results revealed that aggression, indifference, and submission form a meaningful meta-trait, meaning that they are correlated and therefore often coexist in parenting behavior. The results confirmed theoretical assumptions. People who experienced more aggression, indifference, and submission from their parents as children show higher scores for antisocial personality traits.

Factor structure, psychometric properties, and proposal for a brief-form version of the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale: Validation in a court-referred partner-violent men sample

Psychopathy has been widely studied among criminal populations. Most analyses address it in institutionalized populations, however, the present study examines the psychometric properties of the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (LSRP) in 642 court-referred partner-violent men serving suspended prison sentences. The confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the two-factor structure (primary and secondary psychopathy) of the original scale. The resulting scale was a brief-form version of the LSRP that presents satisfactory data in terms of internal consistency and criterion validity, and significant positive correlations with measures of intimate partner violence (IPV), antisocial personality traits and impulsivity. In terms of known-groups validity, meanwhile, psychopathy was found to decrease with the age of the participants. In this light, the LSRP brief-form offers adequate psychometric reliability as an instrument to measure primary and secondary psychopathy in partner-violent men serving suspended sentences.

An Analysis Exploring the Mediating Role of Empathy Between Personality Traits and Antisocial Behavior

Adolescent antisocial behavior, especially juvenile delinquency, has been a hot issue in society. Studies have been conducted to explore how antisocial behavior and personality traits are intercorrelated, as well as how antisocial behavior and empathy are related to one another. However, few studies have focused on investigating the interplay between empathy, antisocial behavior, and personality traits. This paper aims to fill this gap by inferring how personality traits and empathy level affect the conduction of antisocial behaviors for adolescents through a literature review. Agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism, which are three vital personality traits in the big five personality trait test, are found to be correlated with antisocial behavior, and agreeableness, extraction, and neuroticism are correlated with empathy. So this review focus on two personality traits: agreeableness and neuroticism. It states that empathy mediates the interaction between the two personality traits and antisocial behaviors during adolescence years. It also gives suggestions that parents and teachers should pay more attention to adolescents with high neuroticism or low agreeableness. It highlights that people can intervene in adolescents’ antisocial behavior through intervene in adolescents’ empathy.

Childhood trauma and anger in adults with and without depressive and anxiety disorders

IntroductionChildhood trauma (CT) is associated with severe sequelae, including personality disorders and stress-related mental health disorders that can perpetuate long into adulthood.ObjectivesWe aimed to investigate (1) whether childhood trauma is associated with anger in adulthood, and, if so, (2) to explore which types of childhood trauma predominate in the prediction of anger, and (3) to explore whether the association is independent of psychopathology in a cohort that included participants without lifetime psychiatric disorders, with current or remitted depressive and anxiety disorders, or comorbid depressive and anxiety disorders.MethodsIn the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA), childhood trauma was assessed with a semi-structured Childhood Trauma Interview (CTI) at baseline, and analyzed in relation to anger as measured at 4-year follow-up with the Spielberger Trait Anger Subscale (STAS), the Anger Attacks Questionnaire, and cluster B personality traits (i.e., borderline, antisocial) of the Personality Disorder Questionnaire 4 (PDQ-4), using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Post-hoc analyses comprised cross-sectional regression analyses, using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire – Short Form (CTQ-SF) obtained at 4-year follow-up.ResultsParticipants (n = 2,276) were on average 42.1 years (SD = 13.1), and 66.3% were female. Childhood trauma showed a dose-response association with all anger constructs. Zooming in, all types of childhood trauma except for sexual abuse were associated with higher levels of trait anger, and a higher prevalence of anger attacks and antisocial personality traits in adulthood, independently of depression and anxiety. Additionally, all types of childhood trauma were significantly associated with borderline personality traits. Cross-sectionally, the effect sizes were larger compared to the analyses with the childhood trauma measured four years prior to the anger measures.ConclusionsChildhood trauma is linked with anger in adulthood, most strongly for trait anger and borderline personality traits. It is of clinical importance to explore childhood traumatic experience and start trauma-focused interventions when appropriate.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Antisocial and impulsive personality traits are linked to individual differences in somatosensory maps of emotion

Somatosensory experience is an important component of emotion, playing a prominent role in many traditional emotion theories. Nonetheless, and despite the extensive literature on the influence of individual differences in emotional processing, the relation between personality traits and emotion-related somatosensation has received little attention. Here, we addressed this question in a large sample of healthy individuals through the “bodily maps of emotion” behavioural paradigm, in which participants indicated the location and extent of their body sensations for the 6 basic and 4 additional social emotions (contempt, envy, pride, shame). We found that emotional somatosensation in specific body areas, including the heart, the stomach, and the head, was related to specific personality factors, particularly antisocial attitudes and impulsivity. Moreover, the similarity of individual participants’ maps to the group-average was likewise negatively correlated with antisocial tendencies. Overall, our results suggest that differences in individuals’ sensitivity to somatosensation from different body areas, as well as the typicality of their topographical patterns, may partly underlie variation in higher-order social and affective traits.

Testing the cognitive niche hypothesis with structural equation modeling: different dark traits predict an evening-chronotype in males and females

Dark triad (DT) refers to a set of antisocial and self-interested personality traits (Machiavellianism, sub-clinical psychopathy and narcissism). The nocturnal cognitive niche hypothesis suggests that the DT was advantageous in a nocturnal niche because it enables exploitative strategies and would be linked with an evening-oriented chronotype as part of a fast life history strategy. In the present self-report study (N = 300), this hypothesis was tested in a Brazilian sample. It was found that Machiavellianism was a predictor of this chronotype profile in females and secondary psychopathy was a predictor of this profile in males. Also, sex differences were replicated: on average, males exhibited “darker” personalities and more evening-oriented chronotype. Finally, these associations were tested with structural equation modeling controlling for sex and was found that the exploitative “darkcore” (psychopathy and Machiavellianism) predicts an evening-oriented chronotype. These results provide the first support for the nocturnal cognitive niche hypothesis in a non-WEIRD population.

Impaired sustained attention in groups at high risk for antisocial personality disorder: A contingent negative variation and standardized low-resolution tomographic analysis study.

This study aimed to explore the characteristics of contingent negative variation (CNV) in groups at high risk for antisocial personality disorder. A classic CNV paradigm was used to compare the characteristics of attention maintenance among a group of individuals with conduct disorder (CD group; n = 27), a group of individuals with antisocial personality traits (AP; n = 29), a group of individuals with conduct disorder and antisocial personality traits (CD + AP group; n = 25), and a group of healthy controls (CG group; n = 30), to examine the characteristics of the amplitude and latency of CNV in different processing stages. Results of the event-related potential analysis were as follows: The mean amplitude analysis between 500 and 1,000 ms revealed that the mean CNV amplitudes in the CD + AP group (-1.388 ± 0.449 μV, P < 0.001) were significantly lower than that in the CG group (-4.937 ± 0.409 μV). The mean amplitude analysis between 1,000 and 1,500 ms revealed that the mean CNV amplitude in the CD + AP group (-0.931 ± 0.646 μV) was significantly lower than that in the CG group (4.809 ± 0.589 μV, P < 0.001). The mean amplitude analysis between 1,500 and 2,000 ms revealed that the mean CNV amplitude in the CG group (3.121 ± 0.725 μV) was significantly higher than that in the CD + AP group (-0.277 ± 0.795 μV, P = 0.012), whereas the mean CNV amplitude in the CD + AP group was not significantly different in the AP group (P = 0.168) and CD group (P > 0.05). Source localization results indicated altered activity in frontal-temporal regions. The CNV amplitude characteristics in the CD + AP group and AP group were more consistent and fluctuated around the baseline, indicating the absence of attention maintenance resulted in impairments in attention allocation and motor preparation in the CD + AP group and AP group.

How Anti-Social Personality Traits and Anti-Establishment Views Promote Beliefs in Election Fraud, QAnon, and COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories and Misinformation.

Conspiracy theories and misinformation (CTM) became a salient feature of the Trump era. However, traditional explanations of political attitudes and behaviors inadequately account for beliefs in CTM or the deleterious behaviors they are associated with. Here, we integrate disparate literatures to explain beliefs in CTM regarding COVID-19, QAnon, and voter fraud. We aim to provide a more holistic accounting, and to determine which political, psychological, and social factors are most associated with such beliefs. Using a unique national survey, we find that anti-social personality traits, anti-establishment orientations, and support for Donald Trump are more strongly related to beliefs in CTM than traditional left-right orientations or other frequently posited factors, such as education, science literacy, and social media use. Our findings encourage researchers to move beyond the traditional correlates of political behavior when examining beliefs that express anti-social tendencies or a deep skepticism of social and political institutions.

Violence, crime, and psychiatry in the Spanish punk imaginary; General portrait

Previous findings suggest that the mass media depictions of people with mental disorders emphasize violence and criminality, unpredictable behaviour, and social incompetence. Our overall objective was to draw a general portrait of subcultural representations of criminal and violent behavior in the context of psychiatry. The content analysis of 190 song lyrics from a sample of 7777 outlined the elements composing the depictions of crime and violence and their connections with mental disorders in Spanish punk music (1981–2010). Two approaches were identified: one group of songs emphasized descriptions of violent and criminal behavior, while the other focused on psychiatric symptoms, syndromes, or diagnoses (appearing the violent or criminal behavior as epiphenomena of mental health problems). Quantitatively, songs with themes alluding to homicidal behavior predominated, with multiple homicide being widely portrayed. Regarding psychiatric disorders, substance use prevailed and, to a lesser extent, antisocial personality traits and psychotic symptoms. The depictions found are closely related to the connotations expected in the general population. Thus, we found a predilection for violent crimes and frequent allusions to the perpetrator as ‘mentally disturbed.’ It is consistent with the greater frequency of descriptions of violent crime in the media, despite its relative infrequency to other types of crime. Likewise, it coincides with the cultural interest in homicide and how it nourishes the current entertainment industry. However, some distinctive features in punk music included positive connotations for social deviance, and even antisocial traits, as a form of identity affirmation and opposition to the social order. On the other hand, violence and crime serve fundamentally punk provocativeness rather than a mythification or aesthetic enjoyment of crime. The portrayal of crime in the punk narratives was constructed around different non-exclusive sources whose contribution varied between compositions. It included the contents learned from and transmitted through the mass media, mainly the press, films, and television. These media provide both factual and fictional content (intertextuality). Other artistic manifestations can equally contribute to the interdiscursive ambit. The influence of crime news from abroad was relevant in depictions of mass murder (particularly, mass shootings), the same as intertextuality (mainly based on non-Spanish productions) for the subcultural portrayals of serial killers. Generally, the medical and criminological sciences have limited influence on the opinions of the general population, which continue to rely mostly on biased reports from mass media. This is a pending task for the scientific, academic, and clinical fields, hence the relevance of a dialogue between art, culture, media, and psychiatry.

PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF BULLYING

The article highlights the issue of bullying in an educational institution. The difference between bullying and a quarrel or conflict is revealed. The main manifestations of teenager's bullying in are analyzed, such as mocking, kicking, beating, pushing, cyberbullying, etc. The main causes of bullying in an educational institution are revealed. The psychological consequences of bullying for all participants of bullying were analyzed. These include physical injuries, fears, manifestations of anger, low self-esteem, a sense of one's own inferiority, defenselessness, loss of self-respect, lack of social values, tendency to loneliness, deviant behavior, formation of destructive and antisocial personality traits, deterioration of academic performance, etc. A study of the manifestation of different response styles in a conflict situation among teenagers is presented. It was determined that teenagers are characterized by the use of all five response styles in conflict. But the studied sample is characterized by the predominance of such response styles in conflict situations as Rivalry and Avoidance. Which speaks of the desire or to satisfy one's interests, regardless of the needs and desires of others. Or avoidance of conflict and reluctance to make efforts to realize one's interests. The least developed style of cooperation in a conflict situation, which indicates insufficient skills of mutual satisfaction of the needs of participants in conflict interaction.

A Cross-cultural exploration of problematic Internet use, pathological personality traits, defense mechanisms, coping strategies, and self-esteem in 14 countries

ObjectivesThe primary objective of this study was to compare the estimates of Problematic Internet Use (PIU) from 14 countries around the world, considering gender. The second objective was to explore the relationships between PIU and personality-related variables (pathological personality traits, defense mechanisms, coping strategies, and self-esteem). Materials and methodsOur total sample consisted of 7726 participants (30.8% male, n=2378), aged between 18 and 86 years old (M=25.55; SD=9.8). Recruited online, they completed several scales about their Internet use, defense mechanisms and coping strategies, self-esteem, and pathological personality traits. ResultsThe PIU accounted for between 20.5% and 75% of participants using the PIUQ-9, while “self-perception” of PIU with a single item revealed estimates from 2% to 60.1%, with gender differences. Systematically, PIU significantly correlated with two variables: borderline personality traits (from .09 at P<.05 to .42 at P<.01) and immature defense mechanisms (from .13 to .42 at P<.01). Dependent, avoidant, narcissistic, histrionic, and antisocial personality traits were positive predictors of PIU and self-esteem, paranoid and schizoid personalities were negative predictors. ConclusionsThis research highlights the many cross-cultural differences. Its design also allows for a better understanding of gender differences.

Subcultural Representations of Perpetrators and Victims of Crime and Violence Associated with Mental Disorders

Introduction and objectivesThe beliefs and opinions of the general population are based substantially on mass media, which often equates mental disorders with violence and criminality. These stigmatising depictions contribute to the development and persistence of negative attitudes towards people with psychiatric conditions. The objective was to examine, through popular music, the subcultural representations of crime and violence in the context of mental disorders, focusing on depictions of victims and offenders. MethodsStrategy of analysis: Content analysis of Spanish punk lyrics (1981-2010) with references to violent and criminal behaviour associated with mental disorders. Results257 Spanish punk bands were identified. The discographies included 7,777 songs, of which 190 were related to aggression, violence, or crime. A predilection for violent crimes and descriptions of the perpetrator as “mentally disturbed” was observed. Although they were present, psychotic symptoms were not the main psychiatric symptoms associated with violent crime, but instead it was substance use, antisocial personality traits and paraphilic behaviour. There was less attention paid to victims than to perpetrators. ConclusionsThe relationships between mental disorders and criminality/violence are overemphasised in the analysed subculture. A positive connotation of social deviance and violent content (particularly serial murder) in service to the provocative nature of this type of music was observed.

Antisocial and borderline personality traits and childhood trauma in male prisoners: Mediating effects of difficulties in emotional regulation

ObjectiveTo investigate the prevalence of probable antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD) among prisoners, and further examine the mediating effect of difficulties in emotional regulation (ER) between childhood trauma and symptoms of ASPD and BPD. MethodsA total of 1491 male participants (35.4 ± 9.69 years) were recruited from a prison in Guangdong, China. The symptoms of ASPD and BPD, childhood trauma, difficulties in ER, and suicidal behaviors were measured by self-administered structured questionnaires. Logistic regressions were performed to investigate the associations of ASPD and BPD with suicidal behaviors. Path analysis was used to examine the mediating effects of difficulties in ER between childhood trauma and symptoms of ASPD and BPD. ResultApproximately, 21.2 % and 11.2 % of the participants were screened as ASPD and BPD, respectively. Probable ASPD and BPD were associated with higher risk of suicidal behaviors. Childhood trauma and difficulties in ER were significantly associated with suicidal behaviors in prisoners with probable ASPD and BPD. Path analyses showed that partial mediating effects of difficulties in ER were significant in the dimensions of clarity and strategies on ASPD, and in the dimensions of clarity, impulse, and strategies on BPD. ConclusionASPD and BPD are two of the common personality disorders in prisoners. Difficulties in ER are key to understanding the relationships between childhood trauma and personality disorders.