The relationship between psychopathic traits and attachment behavior in a non-clinical population

Primary and Secondary Psychopathic Traits: Investigating the Role of Attachment and Experiences of Shame

Primary and secondary psychopathic traits have been documented in the general population and previous research has shown their link to adult insecure attachment and shame. However, there has been a gap in the literature examining the specific role of attachment avoidance and anxiety, and experiences of shame in the expression of these psychopathic traits. This study aimed to explore the associations between the attachment dimensions of anxiety and avoidance, in addition to characterological, behavioral and body shame with primary and secondary psychopathic traits. A non-clinical sample of 293 adults (M age= 30.77, SD = 12.64; 34% males) was recruited and completed an online battery of questionnaires. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that demographic variables (age and gender) explained the largest variance for primary psychopathic traits, while the attachment dimensions (anxiety and avoidance) explaining the largest variance for secondary psychopathic traits. Characterological shame had a direct and indirect effect on both primary and secondary psychopathic traits. The findings highlight the need to examine psychopathic traits in community samples as a multidimensional construct, with a particular focus on also assessing attachment dimensions and shame subtypes.

Antecedents of problematic social media use and cyberbullying among adolescents: attachment, the dark triad and rejection sensitivity

With the acceleration of internet use, problematic social media use (PSMU) is included in our lives. When looking at the antecedents of PSMU, being young has been found to be a risk factor for PSMU. In addition to the benefits of technological advances in education and training, rapid technological developments may also result in problematic behaviors, especially among children and young. Recently, possibilities brought by technology and more widespread use of technology by young people have created a new concept, namely, cyberbullying. The present study aims to examine the effects of attachment anxiety and avoidance on PSMU and cyberbullying as with the partial mediating effects of the Dark Triad personality traits, angry rejection sensitivity, and anxious rejection sensitivity among adolescents. In general, the findings supported the proposed theoretical model. The results are discussed in terms of theoretical and practical implications along with suggestions for future research.

Adult attachment and psychopathic traits: Investigating the role of gender, maternal and paternal factors

Individuals with psychopathic traits have been identified to display insecure attachment. However, it is not clear which attachment dimension contributes more to high psychopathic traits, and more specifically to callous-unemotional (CU) traits, which parental relationship is more influential and if this differs across gender. This study examined the associations of adult attachment dimensions (avoidance and anxiety) and parental factors (regard, responsibility and control) with CU traits (N = 1149) using Hierarchical Linear Regression. The relationship with both parents was assessed separately to identify their unique contribution to CU traits in males and females respectively. The avoidant attachment positively predicted while the anxiety attachment dimension negatively predicted CU traits and this was the case for both male and female participants. Interestingly, maternal regard was a negative predictor of CU traits in males only, whereas paternal responsibility arose as a positive predictor of CU traits in females only. Attachment dimensions explained the largest variance in both males and females. Findings point to the importance of attachment dimensions contributing to CU traits even in an adult sample. Parental variables were less influential on CU traits compared to attachment related variables and findings suggest that there are differences between males and females. These findings have important implications for gender differentiated attachment based interventions for individuals with CU traits.

Insecure Attachment, Maladaptive Personality Traits, and the Perpetration of In-Person and Cyber Psychological Abuse

Although past findings show that insecure attachment and maladaptive personality traits confer risk for perpetrating intimate partner violence (IPV), little is known about how these factors may underpin psychological abuse (PA) committed in-person and via technology. This study examined whether borderline personality disorder (BPD) traits and psychopathic traits account for indirect effects of insecure attachment on the perpetration of face-to-face and cyber PA. Participants included a community-based sample (N = 200; M_age = 22.28 years) in Australia who completed a battery of online questionnaires. Results from bivariate correlations showed that elevated levels of attachment anxiety and avoidance, and higher scores on BPD traits and psychopathic traits, were significantly associated with the perpetration of both face-to-face and cyber PA. Findings from mediation analysis indicated that attachment anxiety was indirectly linked with the perpetration of both forms of PA via elevated scores on BPD traits and psychopathic traits. High levels of psychopathic traits accounted for the indirect effects of attachment avoidance on both forms of PA. Results support the theory that insecure attachment and maladaptive personality functioning might be involved in the development and/or maintenance of the perpetration of PA. These findings have implications for preventive and treatment programs for the perpetration of IPV in terms of shedding new light on potential risk factors for engagement in face-to-face and technology-based PA.

Subclinical Psychopathic Traits and Romantic Attachment in Treatment-Seeking Couples

Subclinical psychopathic personality traits have been associated with multiple indicators of couple distress and romantic attachment insecurities but essentially in community samples. This study examined dyadic associations between primary and secondary psychopathy and attachment anxiety and avoidance, assessed with self-reported measures, in 183 French-Canadian cohabiting partners seeking couple therapy. Two Actor-Partner Interdependence Models were tested: Model 1 considered psychopathic traits as independent variables and Model 2 treated attachment insecurities as independent variables. Analyses revealed that in both partners, secondary psychopathy was associated with attachment anxiety and avoidance (Models 1 and 2), while primary psychopathy was not only associated with attachment anxiety (Model 2; actor associations). Partner effects between primary and secondary psychopathy in men and women's attachment anxiety were also found in both models. These findings complement those reported in community samples and have clinical implications for treatment-seeking couples.

Evaluating the Association Between Psychopathy and Specific Attachment Models in Adults

In the current investigation, we examined the association between psychopathy and attachment styles in several specific attachment relationships (i.e., romantic, mother, father, friend). Data were collected online from a combination of Australian university and general community samples (N = 729, 53.50% female) using the Expanded Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy scale (Christian & Sellbom, 2016) and a modified version of the Experiences in Close Relationships Structures (Fraley, Heffernan, Vicary, & Brumbaugh, 2011). Our results revealed that specific attachment models tend to have small to moderate associations with the components of psychopathy, but that the strength and direction of these associations tends to differ between figures, components of psychopathy, and dimension of attachment considered. Interestingly, it appeared that peer relationships (i.e., romantic, friend) tended to account for the majority of the variance in the relationship between psychopathy and general attachment styles, which may be an important avenue for future research.

The development and preliminary psychometric evaluation of an attachment Implicit Association Task

The importance of measuring attachment insecurity is underscored by a vast literature tying attachment insecurity to numerous psychological disorders. Self-report measures assess explicit attachment beliefs and experiences, while interview measures, like the Adult Attachment Interview, assess implicit internal working models about the self as worthy of care and others as reliable sources of care. The present study is a preliminary psychometric evaluation of a potentially cost-effective method of assessing implicit internal working models of attachment through the development of an Implicit Association Test (IAT). A racially diverse sample of 104 college females was administered Internet-based versions of three IATs (assessing views of the self, mother, and father) as well as self-report measures of attachment and interpersonal problems. Analyses were conducted to evaluate the (a) internal consistency of each task, (b) correlations among the tasks, (c) concurrent validity, and (d) convergent validity. Adequate internal consistency was noted and correlations among the three IATs were significant. No significant associations were observed between the explicit self-report measures of attachment and the IATs. Two primary areas for future research are discussed. First, future research should utilize an implicit attachment measure alongside an IAT. Second, future research should reevaluate the IAT stimuli used.

Validity of the Self-Report Psychopathy Scales (SRP-III Full and Short Versions) in a Community Sample

The psychometric properties of the 64-item Self-Report Psychopathy Scale-III (SRP-III) and its abbreviated 28-item SRP-Short Form (SRP-SF) seem promising. Still, cross-cultural evidence for its construct validity in heterogeneous community samples remains relatively scarce. Moreover, little is known about the interchangeability of both instruments. The present study addresses these research gaps by comparing the SRP-III and SRP-SF factorial construct validity and nomological network in a Belgian community sample. The four-factor model of psychopathy was evaluated ( N = 1,510) and the SRP scales' relationship with various external correlates (i.e., attachment, bullying and victimization, right-wing attitudes, right-wing authoritarianism, and response styles) was examined ( n = 210). Both SRP versions demonstrated a good fit for the four-factor model and a considerable overlap with the nomological network of psychopathy. The results suggested that the SRP-SF provides a viable alternative to the SRP-III for assessment in the community. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

The DSM-5 alternative model of personality disorders from the perspective of adult attachment: a study in community-dwelling adults

To assess how the maladaptive personality domains and facets that were included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) Alternative Model of Personality Disorders relate to adult attachment styles, 480 Italian nonclinical adults were administered the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5) and the Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ). To evaluate the uniqueness of the associations between the PID-5 scales and the ASQ scales, the participants were also administered the Big Five Inventory (BFI). Multiple regression analyses showed that the ASQ scales significantly predicted both PID-5 domain scales and BFI scales; however, the relationships were different both qualitatively and quantitatively. With the exception of the PID-5 risk taking scale (adjusted R(2) = 0.02), all other PID-5 trait scales were significantly predicted by the ASQ scales, median adjusted R(2) value = 0.25, all ps < 0.001. Our findings suggest that the maladaptive personality domains and traits listed in the DSM-5 Alternative Model of Personality Disorders show meaningful associations with adult attachment styles.

Risky sexual behaviours: The role of substance use, psychopathic traits, and attachment insecurity among adolescents and young adults in Quebec

The purpose of this study was to examine how substance use, psychopathic traits, and attachment representations explain sexual risk-taking in adolescence. Variables used to define risky sexual behaviours were age at first sexual intercourse and number of lifetime sexual partners. A sample of 1,553 adolescents and young adults completed a battery of questionnaires including measures of substance use, psychopathic traits, attachment representations, and sexual behaviours. Structural equation modelling demonstrated that, in the present sample, risky sexual behaviours were best modelled through both direct effects of avoidant attachment representations and indirect effects of psychopathic traits and abandonment anxiety through increases in substance use. This model was gender-invariant and may represent a contemporary trend toward homogenization of sexual practices among young people in Quebec.