Psychopathy In Children Research Articles

"Prototypic personality disorder" and the social issue: The category of psychopathy in Polish psychiatry in the interwar period.

The category of psychopathy has a long history, and its meaning has undergone a notable evolution since its conception in the 19th century. The history of psychopathy has been concentrating mainly on English- and German-speaking psychopathology. This article investigates definitions of psychopathy, its classification, and social issues associated with this category in Polish psychiatry in the interwar period. Polish definitions of psychopathy were influenced predominantly by Ernst Kretschmer's constitutional theory as well as by Eugen Kahn's, William Stern's, and Kurt Schneider's ideas. The term was generally understood as a borderline category denoting states between health and mental illness. As those states could manifest differently, it was thought to be many psychopathies. Two Polish psychiatrists, Maurycy Bornsztajn and Jakub Frostig, presented comprehensive classifications of psychopathies. Social issues associated with the category of psychopathy concentrated on three topics: psychopathy in children as a problem of the prevention of mental disorders; psychopathy as a problem of the justice system, the penitentiary, and military systems; and psychopathy as an issue of eugenics and social usefulness. Polish psychiatrists highlighted the need for the development of national institutions for the care of psychopathic children. Issues of accountability and insanity of psychopaths from the point of view of forensic psychiatry were also discussed. In conclusion, psychopathy in interwar Polish psychiatry was not just one of the personality disorders-it denoted the whole spectrum of characterological disturbances; thus, it rather corresponds to the modern category of personality disorders than to the contemporary understanding of psychopathy. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The Effects of Age and Sex on the Interaction Between Monoamine Oxidase A VNTR and Psychopathic Traits in Children and Adolescents

Psychopathy-related behaviors increase the risk of youth violence and death. The mixed results in the literature regarding the association between Monoamine Oxidase A (MAOA)-VNTR and psychopathy in children demonstrate that both sex and age can influence the contribution of the MAOA gene. This study examines the developmental trajectory of the association between sex, MAOA-VNTR, and psychopathic traits in a unique sample of clinically aggressive children.

A Multi-Informant Study of the Validity of the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits in a Sample of Norwegian Adolescents with Behavior Problems

The Inventory of Callous-Unemotional traits (ICU) is a widely used measure of the affective aspects of psychopathy in children and adolescents. Although a 3-bifactor model of the ICU has often been supported, method-variance effects and mixed results for the Unemotional subscale raise concerns. This study applied a multi-informant design to investigate the structural and concurrent validity of the self-, parent- and teacher-versions of the ICU in a Norwegian at-risk adolescent sample (N = 160, female = 46.3%, mean age = 14.73 years, SD = 1.47). Confirmatory Factor Analysis demonstrated method-variance effects of the standard- and reverse-scored items. The best fitting model was the 12-item 2-factor ICU, comprising a Callousness and an Uncaring factor. The scale reliabilities were acceptable with Cronbach alphas ranging from .810 to .906 across respondent groups. Cross-rater reliability was poor, with Intra Class Correlations ranging from .170 to .226. The concurrent validity of the ICU12 was supported by within-rater associations to externalizing problems, aggression, and problematic alcohol use. Cross-rater associations of ICU12-scores to self-reported delinquency and lower levels of anxiety, provided additional support for the concurrent validity. The unidimensional ICU12 total score was associated both to delinquency and rule-breaking behavior as observed for the Callousness factor and to lack of anxiety and reduced fear sensitivity as observed for the Uncaring factor. The ICU items aimed at capturing lack of prosocial emotions, seem to need revision. Future research should assess the predictive validity and clinical relevance of unidimensional versus factor models of the ICU.

Proposed Specifiers for Conduct Disorder (PSCD): Preliminary validation of the parent version in a Spanish sample of preschoolers.

The Proposed Specifiers for Conduct Disorder (PSCD) scale (Salekin & Hare, 2016) was developed as a measure of the broader construct of psychopathy in childhood and adolescence. In addition to conduct disorder (CD) symptoms, the PSCD addresses the interpersonal (grandiose-manipulative), affective (callous-unemotional), and lifestyle (daring-impulsive) traits of psychopathic personality. The PSCD can be scored by parents and teachers. The present study is a preliminary test of the psychometric properties of the PSCD-Parent Version in a sample of 2,229 children aged 3 to 6 years. Confirmatory factor analyses supported both a 3- and 4-factor structure being invariant across gender groups. The validity of the PSCD was also supported by convergent-divergent associations with an alternative measure of psychopathic traits as well as by the expected relations with fearlessness, conduct problems, reactive and proactive aggression, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and oppositional defiant disorder symptoms, and social competence skills. Overall, the PSCD is a promising alternative measure for assessing early manifestation of the broader construct of psychopathy in children. Its use should facilitate discussion of the conceptualization, assessment, predictive value, and clinical usefulness of the psychopathic construct as it relates to CD at early developmental stages. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

The INventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits and Antisocial Behavior (INCA) for Young People: Development and Validation in a Community Sample.

Callous-unemotional traits are defined as potential markers of psychopathy in children and adolescents. Previous studies with the most widely used instrument designed specifically to assess these traits, the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits (ICU), have shown major methodological problems. For this reason, the purpose of the present study was to develop a valid and reliable test to assess callous-unemotional traits for the adolescent population free of the response biases social desirability (SD) and acquiescence (AC). In order to obtain responses free of these biases, we used SD item markers as well as content balanced items to identify a factor related to SD and AC, so that SD and AC effects can be removed from the individual scores on content factors. As well as the CU traits (unemotional, callousness, and uncaring scales), this new questionnaire also contains an additional scale for assessing antisocial behaviors. The test was administered to 719 adolescents between 13 and 19 years old. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis yielded the following expected four dimensions with a good fit: Unemotional, Callousness, Uncaring, and Antisocial Behavior. These scales also showed good psychometric properties with good reliability, and convergent, discriminant and criterion validity.

Особенности антисоциального поведения детей и подростков: психопатия и черты холодной бесчувственности

The article presents a review of modern international concepts and empirical researches of a set of affective-related and personality traits, which is regarded as important for understanding the aetiology and psychological mechanisms of the most aggressive and poorly corrigible patterns of antisocial behavior. Conceptualized as psychopathy and closely related to antisocial personality disorder, though not equivalent to it, this set of traits includes such characteristics as lack of empathy, callousness, poor behavioral control, irresponsibility, impulsivity, etc. Investigation of psychopathy in children and adolescents is relevant in view of the growing body of data on early manifestation of severe conduct problems. Studies of large heterogeneous group of children and adolescents with antisocial behavior have shown that focusing on affective and interpersonal characteristics allows to single out a group of youths that demonstrate particularly aggressive patterns of antisocial behavior that are paired with certain emotional deficits. Implementing such approach to studying severe antisocial behavior in children and adolescents has led to extending this construct of psychopathy to youths. The review also discusses the latest measures of psychopathy employed in international clinical science, central lines of research of child and adolescent psychopathy, as well as perspectives of studying psychopathy in Russia.

The Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits (ICU) in Children: Reliability and Heritability.

Callous-unemotional (CU) traits comprise the core symptoms of psychopathy, yet no study has estimated the heritability of CU traits in a community sample of children using an instrument designed solely to assess CU traits. The current study uses data from 339 twin pairs aged 9-14 to examine the reliability and heritability of the parent-report Inventory of Callous-unemotional Traits (ICU) at two assessments approximately 3weeks apart. Time-specific measurement error was taken into account to obtain a more accurate estimate of the heritability reflecting the latent liability to CU traits. Test-retest reliability was 0.84 and heritability at visit 1 was 39%. The heritability of the latent liability to CU traits was 47%. This latent liability contributed 79% of the variance in ICU score at visit 1 and visit 2. This is the first study to account for measurement error while examining the heritability of CU traits, furthering our understanding of psychopathy in children.

The Validity of the Child Problematic Trait Inventory in 6–12 Year Old Italian Children: Further Support and Issues of Consistency Across Different Sources of Information and Different Samples

In the present study, teacher’s ratings, mother’s ratings, and father’s ratings on the Child Problematic Trait Inventory (CPTI) were obtained on two independent samples (N = 381 and N = 406, respectively) of Italian school age children (age range: 6–12 years). Cronbach alpha values greater than 0.80 were observed for all CPTI scale scores based on teacher’s ratings, mother’s ratings, and father’s ratings respectively. Although intraclass correlation values suggested poor parent-teacher agreement, robust weighted least square Confirmatory Factor Analyses (WLSMV CFAs) suggested that the three-factor model of the CPTI was consistently replicated as the best fitting model across all informants. Logistic regression analysis conducted in one of the samples showed that teacher’s ratings and mother’s ratings of the CPTI, but not CPTI father’s ratings, significantly predicted child’s problem behavior at school. Multiple regression analyses showed that CPTI scores were significantly predicted by selected temperament dimensions, but with different relationships for different sources of information. Overall, our findings suggest that the CPTI is a reliable and valid measure of problematic traits with a three-factor structure, although this study indicates that multiple sources of information may prove necessary when assessing psychopathy in school-age children with the CPTI.

Antipsychotic-Induced Dyslipidemia Treated with Omega 3 Fatty Acid Supplement in an 11-Year-Old Psychotic Child: A 1-Year Follow-up

Journal of Child and Adolescent PsychopharmacologyVol. 23, No. 2 Letters to the EditorAntipsychotic-Induced Dyslipidemia Treated with Omega 3 Fatty Acid Supplement in an 11-Year-Old Psychotic Child: A 1-Year Follow-upSimone Pisano, Antonella Gritti, Gennaro Catone, and Antonio PascottoSimone PisanoDepartments of Psychiatry, Child Neuropsychiatry, Audiophonology, and Dermatology, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy.Search for more papers by this author, Antonella GrittiDepartment of Education Sciences, University Suor Orsola Benincasa, Naples, Italy.Search for more papers by this author, Gennaro CatoneDepartments of Psychiatry, Child Neuropsychiatry, Audiophonology, and Dermatology, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy.Search for more papers by this author, and Antonio PascottoDepartments of Psychiatry, Child Neuropsychiatry, Audiophonology, and Dermatology, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy.Search for more papers by this authorPublished Online:19 Mar 2013https://doi.org/10.1089/cap.2012.0060AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB ToolsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail View articleFiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited ByPutative Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Use of Lithium in Children and Adolescents: A Critical ReviewCurrent Neuropharmacology, Vol. 17, No. 4Weight-Change Trajectories of Pediatric Outpatients Treated with Risperidone or Aripiprazole in a Naturalistic Setting Marco Pozzi, Simone Pisano, Giuseppe Marano, Carla Carnovale, Carmela Bravaccio, Concetta Rafaniello, Annalisa Capuano, Francesco Rossi, Renata Rizzo, Renato Bernardini, Maria Nobile, Massimo Molteni, Emilio Clementi, Elia Biganzoli, and Sonia Radice7 March 2019 | Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, Vol. 29, No. 2Differences in Metabolic Factors Between Antipsychotic-Induced Weight Gain and Non-pharmacological Obesity in Youths12 February 2018 | Clinical Drug Investigation, Vol. 38, No. 5Conduct disorders and psychopathy in children and adolescents: aetiology, clinical presentation and treatment strategies of callous-unemotional traits20 September 2017 | Italian Journal of Pediatrics, Vol. 43, No. 1Different Immune Signature in Youths Experiencing Antipsychotic-Induced Weight Gain Compared to Untreated Obese Patients Simone Pisano, Gennaro Catone, Giangennaro Coppola, Marco Carotenuto, Raffaella Iuliano, Claudia Tiano, Anna Rita Montesanto, Vittoria D'Esposito, Emanuele Miraglia del Giudice, Pietro Formisano, and Carmela Bravaccio1 November 2017 | Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, Vol. 27, No. 9Polyunsaturated fatty acids and recurrent mood disorders: Phenomenology, mechanisms, and clinical applicationProgress in Lipid ResearchUpdate on the safety of second generation antipsychotics in youths: a call for collaboration among paediatricians and child psychiatrists21 May 2016 | Italian Journal of Pediatrics, Vol. 42, No. 1Diffusion Imaging of White Matter in Schizophrenia: Progress and Future DirectionsBiological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Vol. 1, No. 3Omega-3 fatty acids in first-episode schizophrenia - a randomized controlled study of efficacy and relapse prevention (OFFER): rationale, design, and methods2 May 2015 | BMC Psychiatry, Vol. 15, No. 1Risperidone11 May 2013 | Reactions Weekly, Vol. 1451, No. 1 Volume 23Issue 2Mar 2013 InformationCopyright 2013, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.To cite this article:Simone Pisano, Antonella Gritti, Gennaro Catone, and Antonio Pascotto.Antipsychotic-Induced Dyslipidemia Treated with Omega 3 Fatty Acid Supplement in an 11-Year-Old Psychotic Child: A 1-Year Follow-up.Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology.Mar 2013.139-141.http://doi.org/10.1089/cap.2012.0060Published in Volume: 23 Issue 2: March 19, 2013Online Ahead of Print:March 12, 2013PDF download

Child and adolescent psychopathy: Assessment issues and treatment needs

Abstract The identification of psychopathic traits in childhood and adolescence is a topic of growing interest for scientific research. The development of models to predict violent behavior, together with efficient preventive and therapeutic programs, is a major goal when assessing youths with psychopathic traits. This paper focuses on the construct of child and adolescent psychopathy, while approaching historical and conceptual issues. By discussing the “state of the art” of the construct, we will analyze different instruments to assess psychopathy in children and adolescents, as well as the available treatment modalities. Finally, we will present possible lines for research and clinical intervention according to an evolutionary approach to anger and antisocial behavior.

Assessing callous–unemotional traits across different groups of youths: Further cross-cultural validation of the Inventory of Callous–Unemotional Traits

The Inventory of Callous–Unemotional (CU) Traits (ICU) is a self-report questionnaire which was developed to measure the affective features of psychopathy in children and adolescents. Previous studies reported both support and difficulties with this promising new measure. The present study investigated the psychometric and discriminating qualities of the Dutch questionnaire across different groups by examining its structure, distribution and correlates. The ICU was administered to young clinical offenders (detained, N=127), healthy controls (community, N=172), non-clinical offenders (not detained, N=42) and an externalizing non-offender group (under treatment for behavioral problems, N=42). The age range for all groups was 13–20years. Since confirmatory factor analysis of models from earlier research did not yield an acceptable fit, exploratory factor analysis was conducted. Five factors were extracted: Lack of Conscience, Uncaring, Unemotional, Callousness and Lack of Empathy. The results indicated moderate to good test–retest stability and adequate internal consistency. CU traits correlated well with measures of conduct problems and aggression, indicating a good criterion and convergent validity. Results indicate weak associations with expert (Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version, PCL:YV) and informant (Antisocial Process Screening Device, APSD) measures of psychopathic traits. Although groups could be differentiated on a statistical basis, no meaningful distinction based on CU traits alone was possible. Results of this study cast doubt on the validity of the current ICU. Suggestions are made for improvement.

Effects of a Parenting Intervention on Features of Psychopathy in Children

This study examined whether Project Support, a parenting intervention shown to reduce child conduct problems, also exerts positive effects on features of psychopathy in children. Participants were 66 families (mothers and children) recruited from domestic violence shelters who participated in a randomized controlled trial evaluating Project Support. Each family included at least one child between the ages of 4 and 9 who was exhibiting clinical levels of conduct problems. Families were randomly assigned to the Project Support intervention condition or to an existing services comparison condition, and they were assessed on 6 occasions over 20months, following their departure from the shelter. Children in families in the Project Support condition, compared with those in the comparison condition, exhibited greater reductions in features of psychopathy. Moreover, the changes in features of psychopathy remained after accounting for changes in conduct problems. Project Support's effects on features of psychopathy were mediated by improvements in mothers' harsh and inconsistent parenting. These findings on the effects of an intervention on features of psychopathy are the first from a randomized controlled trial. They inform the debate about whether features of psychopathy in children are responsive to intervention, and hold important implications for clinical practice.

Child psychopathy and protective factors: IQ and motivation to change.

Psychopathy in children and adolescents has received increased attention over the past decade. Researchers have been particularly interested in identifying who tomorrow's chronic and serious offenders might be. In addition, researchers have been increasingly interested in determining the etiology of the disorder so as to inform treatment programs. Despite this interest, few studies to date have investigated the protective factors for psychopathy in youth. The current study investigated 140 adolescent boys and girls and the potential protective mechanisms of intelligence and motivation to change. Findings indicated that motivation to change served as a protective factor for general and violent offending at varying levels of psychopathy. Motivation to change also served as a compensatory factor for psychopathy when examining high rates of violent offending. These findings suggest that the cognitive factor of motivation to change may very well be critical in examining developmental pathways to offending in youth and a key consideration for those youth scoring high on psychopathy scales and considering violence as a means of gain.

The Neurobiology of Psychopathy: A Neurodevelopmental Perspective

We provide an overview of the neurobiological underpinnings of psychopathy. Cognitive and affective-emotional processing deficits are associated with abnormal brain structure and function, particularly the amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex. There is limited evidence of lower cortisol levels being associated with psychopathic personality. Initial developmental research is beginning to suggest that these neurobiological processes may have their origins early in life. Findings suggest that psychopathic personality may, in part, have a neurodevelopmental basis. Future longitudinal studies delineating neurobiological correlates of the analogues of interpersonal-affective and antisocial features of psychopathy in children are needed to further substantiate a neurodevelopmental hypothesis of psychopathy.

Early temperamental and psychophysiological precursors of adult psychopathic personality.

Emerging research on psychopathy in children and adolescents raises the question of whether indicators, such as temperament or psychophysiology, exist very early in life in those with a psychopathic-like personality in adulthood. This study tests the hypothesis that individuals who are more psychopathic in adulthood would be less fearful and inhibited and more stimulation seeking/sociable at age 3 and that they would also show reduced age 3 skin-conductance (SC) responsivity. In a community sample of 335 3-year-olds, behavioral measures of temperament were taken and electrodermal activity was recorded in response to both orienting and aversive tones. R. D. Hare's (1985) Self-Report Psychopathy scale (SRP-II) was administered at follow-up at age 28. Individuals scoring higher on the measure were significantly less fearful and inhibited, were more sociable, and displayed longer SC half-recovery times to aversive stimuli compared with controls at age 3. Contrary to predictions, they also showed increased autonomic arousal and SC orienting. Findings appear to be the first to suggest that a prospective link may exist between temperament and psychophysiology in very young children and psychopathic personality in adulthood.

Theory of Mind and conduct problems in children: Deficits in reading the “emotions of the eyes”

A significant clinical feature of disorders of antisocial behaviour involves difficulties in social functioning. It has been suggested that deficits in “theory of mind” (ToM) reasoning—the ability to decode others’ emotions and thoughts—may underlie social difficulties in these populations. Success in demonstrating ToM impairment associated with antisocial behaviour and psychopathy in adults and children have been limited. In the current study, parent-reported conduct problems were concurrently measured with performance on an advanced test of ToM developed for children, the Child Eyes Test (Journal of Developmental and Learning Disorders, 5, 47–78). Preadolescent and young adolescent children (n=79) drawn from a community sample were required to identify emotions from photographic stimuli depicting the eye region of the face only. Findings suggested a generalised impairment in ToM in children with conduct problems, as indicated by a significant relationship between poor Eyes Test performance and conduct problems, even when IQ, sex and age were controlled for. The findings are discussed in the context of the amygdala theory of psychopathy, and the neural systems suggested to mediate performance on the Eyes Test.

Early temperamental and psychophysiological precursors of adult psychopathic personality.

Emerging research on psychopathy in children and adolescents raises the question of whether indicators, such as temperament or psychophysiology, exist very early in life in those with a psychopathic-like personality in adulthood. This study tests the hypothesis that individuals who are more psychopathic in adulthood would be less fearful and inhibited and more stimulation seeking/sociable at age 3 and that they would also show reduced age 3 skin-conductance (SC) responsivity. In a community sample of 335 3-year-olds, behavioral measures of temperament were taken and electrodermal activity was recorded in response to both orienting and aversive tones. R. D. Hare's (1985) Self-Report Psychopathy scale (SRP-II) was administered at follow-up at age 28. Individuals scoring higher on the measure were significantly less fearful and inhibited, were more sociable, and displayed longer SC half-recovery times to aversive stimuli compared with controls at age 3. Contrary to predictions, they also showed increased autonomic arousal and SC orienting. Findings appear to be the first to suggest that a prospective link may exist between temperament and psychophysiology in very young children and psychopathic personality in adulthood.

Interpersonal and Affective Features of Psychopathy in Children and Adolescents: Advancing a Developmental Perspective Introduction to Special Section

The interpersonal (e.g., manipulative, deceitful) and affective (e.g., callous, unemotional) features associated with adult psychopathy have been identified in children and adolescents. Although early research suggests that these features have clinical utility in identifying a particularly severe and recalcitrant form of antisocial behavior with unique developmental origins, several issues regarding these features need to be addressed. This special section is designed to address developmental questions regarding the interpersonal/affective features of psychopathy that have been posed by researchers in the field. Articles included in this special section focus on the structure and stability of the interpersonal/affective features of psychopathy from childhood to adolescence as well as the relation between these features and measures of psychopathy in adulthood. Articles also address the relation between the affective components of psychopathy and ADHD symptoms, emotional problems, and parenting practices in young girls, as well as the interactive role of temperamental fearfulness/anxiety and parenting practices in predicting the development of the affective features of psychopathy. Finally, the influence of a parenting intervention on the affective features of psychopathy in boys diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder is examined.

Psychopathy in Children and Adolescents: The Need for a Developmental Perspective

The current paper introduces the special issue on research attempting to extend the construct of psychopathy to child and adolescent samples. Past special sections and reviews have typically focused on the implications of this research for forensic research and practice. The current special issue focuses on topics relevant for integrating this research within the broader literature on childhood psychopathology. Papers included in this special issue focus on the structure of psychopathic traits in youth, the relation of these traits to other important psychopathological and personality constructs in children and adolescents, and the utility of these traits for identifying a distinct subgroup of antisocial youth who differ on important cognitive processes and on the severity and stability of their problem behavior. These empirical works are followed by commentary provided by two prominent scholars who outline the potential importance of the construct for advancing our understanding of childhood psychopathology. In addition, these scholars provide a discussion of important directions for future research.

Disentangling the Underlying Dimensions of Psychopathy and Conduct Problems in Childhood: A Community Study.

The psychometric and predictive validity of callous-unemotional (CU) traits as an early precursor of conduct disorder and antisocial behavior were assessed. A community sample of children (4-9 years of age) were tested 12 months apart with the Antisocial Process Screening Device (APSD; P. J. Frick & R. D. Hare, 2002), a measure of early signs of psychopathy in children. Factor analysis supported the structure of the APSD. Given controversy surrounding construct overlap between psychopathy and conduct problems, a factor analysis was conducted on pooled items from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and APSD. A 5-factor solution resulted: antisocial, hyperactivity, CU traits, anxiety, and peer problems. CU traits added small but significant improvements in the 12-month prediction of antisocial behavior for boys and older girls, after controlling for Time 1 measures. These results indicate that although the dimensions of the APSD overlap with dimensions of the disruptive behavior disorders, CU traits have unique predictive validity in childhood.