1
|
Venta A, Ha C, Vanwoerden S, Newlin E, Strathearn L, Sharp C. Paradoxical Effects of Intranasal Oxytocin on Trust in Inpatient and Community Adolescents. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL FOR THE SOCIETY OF CLINICAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY, AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, DIVISION 53 2019; 48:706-715. [PMID: 29236527 PMCID: PMC6167185 DOI: 10.1080/15374416.2017.1399401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Research suggests that oxytocin, a neuropeptide implicated in attachment, is a promising clinical tool because it increases affiliation and attachment behaviors, which are reduced in a range of psychiatric disorders. Oxytocin has been recommended as a psychiatric treatment for adolescents, but this remains largely unstudied. Skepticism is warranted, based on mixed findings in adults and absence of data across development. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of intranasal oxytocin on attachment-related and non-attachment-related trust in an interactive game, determining how this effect differs among inpatient adolescents and healthy controls and whether this effect is moderated by attachment security. There were 122 adolescents (ages 12-17; n = 75 inpatient, 70% female, 37% Black, 24% Hispanic, 20% White, and 20% multiracial; n = 46 control, 55% female, 75% Caucasian) randomized to receive self-administered intranasal oxytocin or a placebo and play a trust game with their mother and a stranger over the Internet. Oxytocin only affected the trust game behavior of adolescents when attachment security was moderate or low. At these levels, oxytocin increased the trust of patients, such that their behavior was equivalent to that of healthy controls. Paradoxically, oxytocin reduced the investments of healthy control subjects. This study takes a first step toward determining whether, and for whom, oxytocin may have a trust-enhancing effect and challenges simplistic notions of oxytocin as the attachment-chemical of the brain-pointing instead to differential oxytocin effects based upon clinical status (patient vs. control) and attachment security.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Venta
- Sam Houston State University, Hunstville, TX 77341
| | - Carolyn Ha
- University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, TX
| | | | | | | | - Carla Sharp
- University of Houston College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Houston, TX 77204
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
González Moraga FR, Garcia D, Billstedt E, Wallinius M. Facets of Psychopathy, Intelligence, and Aggressive Antisocial Behaviors in Young Violent Offenders. Front Psychol 2019; 10:984. [PMID: 31139107 PMCID: PMC6527586 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychopathy continues to be a challenge in forensic contexts, and evidence of its association with destructive behaviors, such as aggressive antisocial behaviors, is extensive. However, the potential role of intelligence as moderator of the well-established association between psychopathy and aggressive antisocial behaviors has largely been neglected, despite intelligence having been independently related to both concepts. Increased knowledge of whether intelligence is relevant to this association is needed because of its possible implications on the assessment and treatment of individuals with psychopathic traits and aggressive antisocial behaviors. This study aimed to investigate the association between psychopathic traits, aggressive antisocial behaviors, and intelligence in young violent offenders and to test whether intelligence moderates the relationship between psychopathic traits and aggressive antisocial behaviors. Participants were 269 male violent offenders aged 18–25 years, assessed on the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), the Life History of Aggression (LHA), and the General Ability Index from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, 3rd edition. Associations were tested with Spearman’s rho, and moderation analysis was performed through ordinary least squares regressions. The PCL-R four-facet structure was used for the analyses. We found a positive association between psychopathic traits and aggressive antisocial behaviors, and a small negative association between the Affective PCL-R facet and intelligence. In the moderation analyses, a small yet statistically significant moderation effect of intelligence on the association between the Interpersonal facet and LHA total scores was demonstrated. However, the amount of variance in the LHA total score explained by the model was very small: 2.9%. We suggest that intelligence, however, important for rehabilitation strategies and everyday functioning, is not necessarily pertinent to understanding aggressive antisocial behaviors in young offenders with psychopathic traits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Renee González Moraga
- Regional Forensic Psychiatric Clinic, Växjö, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.,Centre for Ethics, Law and Mental Health, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Danilo Garcia
- Blekinge Center for Competence, Region Blekinge, Karlskrona, Sweden.,Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Eva Billstedt
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Märta Wallinius
- Regional Forensic Psychiatric Clinic, Växjö, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.,Centre for Ethics, Law and Mental Health, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|