Dimensions Of Psychopathy Research Articles

Neural Correlates of Moral Evaluation and Psychopathic Traits in Male Multi-Problem Young Adults.

Multi-problem young adults (18–27 years) present with a plethora of problems, including varying degrees of psychopathic traits. The amygdala and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) have been implicated in moral dysfunction in psychopathy in adolescents and adults, but no studies have been performed in populations in the transitional period to adulthood. We tested in multi-problem young adults the hypothesis that psychopathic traits are related to amygdala and vmPFC activity during moral evaluation. Additionally, we explored the relation between psychopathic traits and other regions consistently implicated in moral evaluation. Our final sample consisted of 100 multi-problem young adults and 22 healthy controls. During fMRI scanning, participants judged whether pictures showed a moral violation on a 1–4 scale. Whole brain analysis revealed neural correlates of moral evaluation consistent with the literature. Region of interest analyses revealed positive associations between the affective callous-unemotional dimension of psychopathy and activation in the left vmPFC, left superior temporal gyrus, and left cingulate. Our results are consistent with altered vmPFC function during moral evaluation in psychopathy, but we did not find evidence for amygdala involvement. Our findings indicate the affective callous-unemotional trait of psychopathy may be related to widespread altered activation patterns during moral evaluation in multi-problem young adults.

Do incarcerated male juvenile recidivists differ from first-time offenders on self-reported psychopathic traits? A retrospective study

The current study analyzed the relation between recidivism and self-reported psychopathic traits, more specifically the callous-unemotional, impulsivity, and narcissism dimensions of the psychopathy construct. The Antisocial Process Screening Device – Self-Report (APSD-SR) and other self-report instruments independently measuring the three different dimensions of psychopathy (that is, Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11, Narcissistic Personality-13) were completed by a sample of incarcerated male juvenile offenders ( N = 244) who were retrospectively classified as recidivists versus non-recidivists. The only statistically significant relation found between recidivism and self-reported psychopathic traits after controlling for age and socioeconomic status was with the impulsivity dimension of the APSD-SR. Additionally, results showed that recidivism was associated with alcohol use but not with drug use or crime seriousness.

Antisocial Process Screening Device Subscales Predict Recidivism in an Australian Juvenile Offender Sample

The present study is the first to examine the psychometric properties of the self-report Antisocial Process Screening Device (APSD-SR), and the predictive utility of its subscales for reoffending, among Australian juvenile offenders (N = 308, M age = 17.00, SD = 1.49). Exploratory factor analysis supported a modified three-factor structure in which four items loaded differently to prior studies. Total APSD-SR and modified subscale scores were positively associated with criminal history and mental health problems (e.g., internalizing and externalizing problems, alcohol and substance abuse/dependence). Survival analyses indicated that youth scoring high on the APSD-SR total score were faster to reoffend nonviolently (Hazard Ratio [HR] = 1.31, p = .0003) and violently (HR = 1.42, p = .0003) than those scoring low. Whereas the modified grandiose-manipulative subscale predicted faster time to nonviolent recidivism (HR = 1.18, p = .026) as a single predictor, when all subscales were simultaneously entered into the model only callous-unemotional (CU) traits and impulsivity predicted nonviolent recidivism (HR = 1.19, p = .026 and 1.22, p = .015, respectively), and only impulsivity predicted violent recidivism (HR = 1.26, p = .014). Findings inform current understanding of the relative contribution of adolescent psychopathy dimensions to designating a particularly high-risk group of Australian youth in custody.

Dimensions of psychopathy in relation to proactive and reactive aggression: Does intelligence matter?

Adolescents with psychopathic traits were previously thought to possess above average intelligence and display enhanced aggression. The current study analyzed the relationship between three dimensions of psychopathy (grandiose-manipulative (GM), callous-unemotional (CU), impulsive-irresponsible (II)), and both proactive aggression(PA) and reactive aggression(RA), and further assessed if these relationships were moderated by verbal-intelligence(VIQ) and performance-intelligence(PIQ). Subjects included 159 adolescents (M = 15.5 years, SD = 1.3, 49% male), recruited from a closed treatment institution. Dimensions of psychopathy were assessed with the Youth Psychopathic traits Inventory, aggression with the Reactive and Proactive aggression Questionnaire and intelligence scores by the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. Regression analysis was performed and results were verified by an alternative, data driven generative discovery analysis. Both CU and II-dimensions were positively related with PA and RA. Adolescents with low VIQ showed stronger positive associations between II and both RA and PA, and less stronger positive association between CU and PA. This was partially consistent with results from the alternative analysis. The present study emphasizes to incorporate verbal-intelligence and sub-dimensions of psychopathy ratings in the understanding and treatment of aggression.

Socioeconomic Status and Psychopathic Traits in a Community Sample of Youth

The current study aims to address socioeconomic status (SES) as a moderating variable between psychopathic traits and conduct problems in a sample of 2432 Dutch adolescents (Mage = 14.50 years, SD = 1.67, 56% male). Both family and neighborhood SES were measured, with income as a proxy for the level of SES. There were small but significant positive correlations between the behavioral and interpersonal dimensions of psychopathy and family SES, a small but significant negative correlation between the affective dimension and neighborhood SES, and a small and significant positive correlation between neighborhood SES and the behavioral dimension of psychopathy. Results further showed that the relations between youth psychopathic traits were moderated by neither family SES nor neighborhood SES. The results suggest that the relations between psychopathic traits and conduct problems are equally strong for lower and higher SES youth. Taken together, these findings warrant the conclusions that SES does not play a role as a moderator in the relation between psychopathy and conduct problems.

Unique and Interactive Associations of Callous-Unemotional Traits, Impulsivity and Grandiosity with Child and Adolescent Conduct Disorder Symptoms

The construct of psychopathy remains underrepresented in the clinical diagnosis of Conduct Disorder (CD) as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition (DSM-5) only addresses one out of the three dimensions of child psychopathy, Callous Unemotional (CU) traits. This study tests if and to what extent there are unique and interactive associations of CU traits, impulsivity, and grandiosity with child and adolescent CD symptoms. Data were collected from two separate community samples of children (N = 1599; Mage = 9.46, SD = 1.65; 52% female) and adolescents (N = 2719; Mage = 16.99, SD = 0.99; 49% female), who were followed longitudinally after a year. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted, testing cross-sectional and longitudinal associations with CD symptoms, taking into account all three psychopathy dimensions. The cross-sectional findings indicate that only youth presenting a combination of all three psychopathy dimensions scored above the clinical cut-off score for CD. On the other hand, longitudinal findings provided evidence that the combination of high initial levels of CD and CU traits as well as the combination between CD, grandiosity, and impulsivity can lead to clinical levels of future CD symptoms. Findings also indicated that CU traits and impulsivity more strongly predicted adolescent than child CD symptoms, and that CU traits were more strongly associated with boys’ than girls’ CD symptoms. Findings support the inclusion of CU traits as a specifier for the diagnosis of CD, and provide evidence that other psychopathy dimensions can also help clinicians to better understand and treat youth with CD, and should be considered for future revisions of the DSM.

Characteristics of empathy and psychopathy among patological Internet users and opiate-dependent persons

Background/Aim. The debate about diagnostic criteria for differences and similiraties as psychosocial characteristics of pathological Internet users and Internet and substance addicts still continued. The aim of the study was to investigate the differences between empathy and psychopathy among subjects with pathological Internet use (PIU) and opiate dependence. Methods. The cross sectional study was performed at the Methadone Center of the Clinical Centre of Vojvodina, Novi Sad, Serbia, with 40 consecutively recruited patients with opiate dependence (OD group) and compared to age matched (25 to 35 years) random online recruited subjects (n = 80). They were divided into two groups: 40 subjects with PIU and 40 controls according to cut-off score of 39 or less obtained at Questionnaire regarding the Internet use assessment. The questionnaires for sociodemographic data, Emotion Specific Empathy (EMI) questionnaire and Psychopathy Assessment Questionnaire (PAQ) were applied. Descriptive statistics, _2-tests, ANOVA and MANOVA analysis were used for data assessment which was performed by the SPSS software (version 20.0) and p < 0.05 was applied. Results. There were more differences among psychopathy dimensions than empathy dimensions among PIU subjects, controls and heroin dependent subjects. The PIU group demonstrated the lowest psychopathy dimensions except for the lifestyle dimension which was higher than in the control group. On the contrary, the PIU group showed the highest empathy, with two dimensions as the most prominent ones: empathy with negative emotions and emotional reactions provoked by empathy. Conclusion. The PIU subjects are characterized by high empathy and low psychopathy. These findings suggest that it would be useful to consider seriously the dimensions of empathy and psychopathy when developing strategies to prevent PIU and planning educational programs for persons with problems related to the Internet overuse disorder.

Faces and facets: The variability of emotion recognition in psychopathy reflects its affective and antisocial features.

Psychopathy consists of a constellation of affective-interpersonal features including lack of empathy, callousness, manipulativeness and interpersonal charm, impulsiveness and irresponsibility. Despite its theoretical and predictive value in forensic contexts, the relationships between the psychometric dimensions of psychopathy, including its antisocial features, and the construct's neuropsychological characteristics remain uncertain. In this study, 685 personality-disordered prisoners with histories of serious violent or sexual offenses were assessed for psychopathy before completing a computerized and well-validated assessment of the ability to recognize emotional expressions in the face. Prisoners with more of the affective features of psychopathy, and prisoners with more of its antisocial manifestations, showed relatively poor recognition accuracy of fearfulness and disgust. These relationships were independent and modest but were still evident following correction for demographic features (e.g., ethnicity and socioeconomic status), mental illness (e.g., substance and alcohol misuse), personality disorders (other than antisocial personality disorder) and treatment status. By contrast, the associations between these dimensions of psychopathy and emotion recognition were diminished by controlling for cognitive ability. These findings demonstrate that variability in the ability of high-risk personality-disordered prisoners to recognize emotional expressions in the face-in particular, fear and disgust-reflects both the affective and antisocial aspects of psychopathy, and is moderated by cognitive ability. (PsycINFO Database Record

Diagnosing Psychopathy through Emotional Regulation Tasks: Heart Rate Variability versus Implicit Association Test

Background: Nowadays, the assessment of psychopathy relies on semistructured interviews plus file reviews. In order to improve the predictive validity of psychopathy at the individual level, tools that are not based on the rating of signs and symptoms are in great need. Sampling and Methods: The present study was conducted in a representative sample of 204 Spanish sentenced inmates. These inmates have served at least 6 months of their sentence at the Pereiro de Aguiar (Ourense, Spain) penitentiary. Psychopathy signs and symptoms were scored through interview and file review. The Implicit Association Test (IAT) and heart rate variability (HRV) experiments were also conducted. The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) was performed as a control measure. Results: Spectral HRV indices were able to detect psychopathic inmates at a significant level, while IAT experiments and the IGT could not discriminate them. HRV indices showed a more significant difference when assessing the affective-interpersonal dimensions of psychopathy. Conclusions: An HRV experiment is better than IAT in order to detect psychopathy in a representative sample of Spanish inmates.

Variants of Psychopathy and the Dependence on Gender, Age, and Ethnic Background.

The current study examines variants of psychopathy in a community sample of Dutch adolescents (N = 2,855, 57% male) using three dimensions of psychopathy and trait anxiety. Five subgroups were identified, two with high levels of psychopathic traits. The first seemed consistent with primary psychopathy, high on all dimensions, with additional low levels of anxiety, whereas the second showed elevated levels of anxiety, consistent with secondary psychopathy. Two variants low on psychopathic traits were identified: a low-risk variant and an anxious variant. Further, a moderaterisk group was found, with slightly above average psychopathy traits and average levels of mental health problems. The secondary psychopathy and the anxious variant reported the most problem behaviors. Boys, younger adolescents, and non-Western immigrant youth were overrepresented in the secondary group. These findings show that in a community sample psychopathy is a heterogeneous phenomenon.

Unique and Interactive Associations Between Maltreatment and Complex Emotion Recognition Deficits and Psychopathic Traits in an Undergraduate Sample.

Psychopathy is defined by affective and interpersonal deficits, deviant lifestyle, and antisocial behaviors. Poor recognition of emotions and childhood maltreatment are two risk factors implicated in psychopathy. The current study examined whether childhood maltreatment and complex emotion recognition deficits showed unique and interactive associations with psychopathic traits among 261 undergraduate students. Results indicate that maltreatment was related to higher general psychopathy scores within a bifactor model comprising a general psychopathy factor and four specific factors tapping underlying dimensions of psychopathy (i.e., affective, interpersonal, lifestyle, and antisocial). A significant interaction emerged whereby maltreatment was related to higher antisocial factor scores among individuals showing poor recognition of positive emotions. In an intriguing interaction, more maltreatment was related to lower interpersonal factor scores among individuals with low/mean levels of neutral emotion recognition. The interaction of positive emotion recognition deficits and maltreatment highlights a potential intervention target among antisocial individuals who have experienced maltreatment.

P3 amplitude and psychopathic traits in youths: Distinct contributions of the grandiose-manipulative and daring-impulsivity traits

Although abnormal P3 amplitude to target or novel stimuli have been found in adults with psychopathic traits, little is known about this relationship in youths and whether this P3 abnormality is differentially associated with dimensions of psychopathy. In this study 250 children and adolescents aged 8–19years were assessed for P3 amplitudes in an auditory oddball paradigm over the left and right parietal sites. Psychopathic traits were assessed using combined child- and parent-reported scores on the Antisocial Process Screening Device (APSD; (Frick & Hare, 2001)). Although the zero-order correlations showed no significant associations between APSD factors and P3 amplitudes, when the factor scores were analyzed together in a regression analysis, the daring-impulsive traits (APSD impulsivity subscale) were negatively associated with the novelty P3, whereas the grandiose-manipulative traits (APSD narcissism subscale) were positively associated with the novelty P3 at the right parietal site. Results provide further support that varying dimension of psychopathic traits may relate to different neuronal pathway abnormalities, and highlight the importance of examining the suppressor effects between distinct aspects of psychopathy.

Dimensions of youth psychopathy differentially predict concurrent pro- and antisocial behavior.

Objective:To investigate the unique contribution of narcissism and impulsivity, in addition to callous-unemotional (CU) traits, in explaining concurrent prosocial and antisocial behavior.Method:Two hundred and forty-nine schoolchildren (53% female; age 9-12 years) completed the self-report Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Antisocial Process Screening Device (APSD). Two statistical models were tested, predicting conduct problems (CP) and prosocial behavior (PB). In the first one, CU traits and gender were entered into the equation. The second model added narcissism and impulsivity.Results:Gender, narcissism and impulsivity, but not CU, were statistically significant predictors of CP in the second model (F3,226 = 45.07, p < 0.001, R2 = 43.7%; betas: gender = -0.20, narcissism = 0.29, impulsivity = 0.36, CU = 0.06). PB was significantly predicted by all domains except gender (F3,226 = 42.57, p < 0.001, R2 = 42.4%; betas: gender = 0.08, narcissism = -0.16, impulsivity = -0.23, CU = -0.41).Conclusion:Our results confirmed that CU traits refer to a distinct manifestation of psychopathy in youth, but we also found that narcissism and impulsivity are equally important when predicting CP. Previous reports of sex differences on APSD and SDQ domains were also corroborated.

Fearless dominance and performance in field sales: A predictive study

In a prospective study of 150 junior salespeople in the same company, we examined the relation between fearless dominance, which is a dimension of trait psychopathy, and objective performance in field sales. After controlling for demographic variables, length of job tenure, initial sales training quality, and disciplined achievement motivation, the results supported an inverted U‐shaped relation, which showed that, after a certain turning point, increases in fearless dominance resulted in decreases in performance. Thus, the most successful salespeople in our sample possessed moderate levels of fearless dominance. Implications for theory, practice, and future research are provided in light of a number of notable strengths and limitations.

Triarchic Psychopathy Dimensions in Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): Investigating Associations with Genetic Variation in the Vasopressin Receptor 1A Gene.

Vasopressin is a neuropeptide known to be associated with the development and evolution of complex socio-emotional behaviors including those relevant to psychopathic personality. In both humans and chimpanzees, recent research suggests a strong genetic contribution to individual variation in psychopathic traits. To date, however, little is known concerning specific genes that might explain the observed heritability of psychopathy. In a relatively large sample of captive chimpanzees (N = 164), the current study thus sought to investigate gene-environment associations between triarchic psychopathy dimensions (i.e., disinhibition, meanness, and boldness) and (1) early social rearing experiences and (2) polymorphisms in the promoter region of the V1A receptor gene (AVPR1A). Among chimpanzees raised by their biological conspecific mothers, AVPR1A was found to uniquely explain variability in disinhibition and in sex-specific ways for boldness and a total psychopathy score; however, in contrast, no significant associations were found between AVPR1A and any of the triarchic psychopathy dimensions in chimpanzees raised the first 3 years of life in a human nursery. Thus, when considered in its entirety, results suggest an important contributory influence of V1A receptor genotype variation in the explanation of the development of psychopathy under some but not all early rearing conditions. Results of the current study provide additional support for the assertion that psychopathic tendencies are rooted in basic, evolutionarily-meaningful dispositions, and provide support for a primate-translational operationalization of key neurobehavioral constructs relevant both to psychopathy and to broader forms of psychopathology.

Examining the Caring-Uncaring Emotional (CUE) Inventory as a Measure of Affective, Callous-Unemotional Psychopathy Traits in a Community Sample of Adults

Affective-interpersonal features such as callousness, meanness, or interpersonal antagonism, are regarded as essential to psychopathy. It has been proposed that assessment of the affective dimension of psychopathy may be relevant for risk assessment purposes and for intervention and treatment purposes. It may be constructive to have available brief measures of the affective dimension of psychopathy in both youth and adult populations. The current study represents a second validation study of a new, brief, self-report measure of the affective dimension of psychopathy in adults and potentially in adolescents. A study of the Caring-Uncaring Emotional (CUE) Inventory was conducted with 121 men and women recruited from a community sample. The CUE was found to have high internal consistency reliability (α = .93), and was found to have high correlations with multiple subscale measures of callous affect from established psychopathy measures developed for adults and for youths. The CUE was found to have a high, inverse association with a measure of empathy. The CUE also was found to have a moderate, positive association with a measure of Antisocial Intent. An Exploratory Factor Analysis suggested a three-factor solution, with the first factor accounting for 36.3% of the variance in scores, with high to very high loadings on 15 items. The first factor appeared to represent a robust measure of callousness in adults in a community sample. The second and third factors may tap into lack of close attachment and indifference/emotional detachment as conceptualized in other psychopathy measures. Further study of the CUE is needed to better clarify the latent structure of this scale. The CUE should be further studied for its relationships with other psychopathy measures and personality and behavioral variables. The strong associations between the CUE and two youth psychopathy measures in the current study which included young adults warrants its study in youth samples, including juvenile offenders.

Is there a psychopathic element in adolescent drinking? A longitudinal study

While previous studies have examined the relationship between psychopathic traits and alcohol use in adolescents, limited empirical investigations of the longitudinal bidirectional effects of psychopathic traits and alcohol use have been conducted for this age-group. The purpose of the present study was to examine the longitudinal associations among adolescent’s psychopathic traits and their alcohol use, in order to illustrate the directional causal relationship between the two constructs, taking into account demographic effects. Participants were 334 adolescents from Cyprus. The participants responded to self-report questionnaires in two consecutive measurements within a six-month interval. Data were analyzed with cross-lagged structural equation modelling. Results indicated that the Dependence alcohol symptoms in Time 1 were significant predictors of the Interpersonal dimension of psychopathy in T2, and the Behavioural dimension of psychopathy in T1 was a significant predictor of Dependence alcohol symptoms in T2, regardless of previous levels of psychopathy and alcohol use, gender and age effects. Implications for research are discussed.

Implicit vs. explicit dimensions of guilt and dominance in criminal psychopathy

The current study investigated the relationship between psychopathy and two concepts that hold a central position in conceptualizations of this disorder, being guilt and dominance. Both constructs were measured using explicit measures (i.e., self-report), as well as indirect assessment (i.e., the Single Category Implicit Association Test; Sc-IAT). Our sample consisted of 43 psychopathic offenders, 42 nonpsychopathic offenders, and 26 nonoffender controls. Although no overall group differences emerged, the lifestyle/antisocial traits of psychopathy (Factor 2) predicted reduced self-reported guilt on a dimensional level. As hypothesized, such a relationship was absent for the interpersonal/affective dimension of psychopathy (Factor 1). Psychopathy was unrelated to implicit self-guilt associations. Regarding dominance, psychopathy was not significantly associated with indirectly or explicitly assessed dominance. These findings are interpreted in the light of empirical knowledge on moral emotions, insight and response distortion in highly antisocial offenders.

Triarchic dimensions of psychopathy in young adulthood: Associations with clinical and physiological measures after accounting for adolescent psychopathic traits.

This study examined associations of psychopathy facets of boldness, meanness, and disinhibition with clinically relevant variables and physiological reactivity to affective stimuli. These associations were examined after accounting for developmental associations with adolescent psychopathic traits, namely callous-unemotional traits, narcissism, and impulsivity. Psychopathic traits were assessed during adolescence using the Antisocial Process Screening Device and the Inventory of Callous Unemotional traits and during young adulthood via the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure. Clinical variables (N = 99, Mage = 15.91, 53% female), as well as affective and physiological responses (heart rate, skin conductance, startle modulation) to violent and erotic videos (N = 88, Mage = 19.92, 50% female) were also assessed during adulthood. After accounting for adolescent psychopathic traits, boldness was associated with high cognitive reappraisal and low anxiety, fear, and hostility, and meanness was related to callous-unemotional traits, hostility, less sympathy to victims, and less use of cognitive reappraisal. Disinhibition, by contrast, was associated with impulsivity, increased anxiety, and hostile and aggressive tendencies, as well as conduct disorder, antisocial personality disorder symptoms, and cognitive suppression. In addition, evidence was found for different physiological measures operating as biological indicators of these distinctive dimensions, with reduced resting heart rate and cardiac reactivity to violent stimuli indicative of boldness, above and beyond adolescent psychopathic traits, and low startle potentiation for violent stimuli indicative of callous-unemotional traits and meanness. These findings provide evidence for the value of a multidomain approach for clarifying neurobiological mechanisms of psychopathic tendencies that can inform prevention and treatment efforts. (PsycINFO Database Record

Callous‐unemotional, impulsive‐irresponsible, and grandiose‐manipulative traits: Distinct associations with heart rate, skin conductance, and startle responses to violent and erotic scenes

The present study aimed to examine whether callous-unemotional, grandiose-manipulative, and impulsive-irresponsible dimensions of psychopathy are differentially related to various affective and physiological measures, assessed at baseline and in response to violent and erotic movie scenes. Data were collected from young adults (N = 101) at differential risk for psychopathic traits. Findings from regression analyses revealed a unique predictive contribution of grandiose-manipulative traits in particular to higher ratings of positive valence for violent scenes. Callous-unemotional traits were uniquely associated with lower levels of sympathy toward victims and lower ratings of fear and sadness during violent scenes. All three psychopathy dimensions and the total psychopathy scale showed negative zero-order correlations with heart rate at baseline, but regression analyses revealed that only grandiose manipulation was uniquely predictive of lower baseline heart rate. Grandiose manipulation was also significantly associated with lower baseline skin conductance. Regarding autonomic activity, findings resulted in a unique negative association between grandiose manipulation and heart rate activity in response to violent scenes. In contrast, the impulsive-irresponsible dimension was positively related with heart rate activity to violent scenes. Finally, findings revealed that only callous-unemotional traits were negatively associated with startle potentiation in response to violent scenes. No associations during erotic scenes were identified. These findings point to unique associations between the three assessed dimensions of psychopathy with physiological measures, indicating that grandiose manipulation is associated with hypoarousal, impulsive irresponsibility with hyperarousal, and callous-unemotional traits with low emotional and fear responses to violent scenes.