The Spanish Short Dark Tetrad (SD4): Association With Personality and Psychological Problems

BACKGROUND

The Short Dark Tetrad (SD4) is a recently developed instrument for assessing the "dark" personality traits of psychopathy, narcissism, Machiavellianism, and sadism. We aimed to examine the SD4's psychometric properties, adapting it into Spanish and exploring its structure, gender invariance, reliability, concurrent validity, and nomological network.

METHOD

A sample of 668 adults ( = 26.36, = 10.64, 69.2% females) completed the SD4 and other self-report questionnaires.

RESULTS

The results demonstrated sound indices of reliability and concurrent validity, an adequate four-factor structure, and support for gender invariance. Furthermore, most of the findings about the nomological network were in line with prior hypotheses: All four SD4 scales were associated with low levels of agreeableness and antagonism; psychopathy was also related to low conscientiousness, disinhibition and impulse-control problems; narcissism was positively associated with extraversion and negatively associated with internalizing symptoms; Machiavellianism was uncorrelated with impulsivity-related problems, which made it distinct from the psychopathy profile; finally, sadism showed a similar pattern of associations to psychopathy, albeit less strongly linked to impulsivity problems and externalizing behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the SD4 presents sound psychometric properties, although the overlap between psychopathy and sadism warrants some caution.

Direct and indirect childhood victimization and their influence on the development of adolescents antisocial behaviors

OBJECTIVE

Experiences of direct and indirect victimization can be very common among children and adolescents of the general population and can have an important impact on their behavior. The general aim of this study was to analyze the possible association between childhood victimization and the development of antisocial behaviors during adolescence. The prevalence of child victimization and antisocial behaviors self-reported by adolescents is shown. Therefore, the individual associations between different types of childhood victimization and antisocial behaviors were explored.

METHOD

The sample comprised 459 general population adolescents. Data on six types of childhood victimization were collected using the Spanish version of the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire, and information on five types of antisocial behaviors was gathered using the short version of the Antisocial Behavior Questionnaire.

RESULTS

More than 90% of the adolescents had been victimized at least once, while almost half of them had engaged in at least one type of antisocial behavior in the last 12 months. Witnessing and indirect victimization is the only type of childhood victimization associated with the antisocial behaviors analyzed.

CONCLUSIONS

These results corroborate previous findings suggesting that witnessing and indirect victimization may have the same or similar impact to that of direct victimization on adolescents' social adjustment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Morality, self-control, age, type of offence and sentence length as predictors of psychopathy amongst female incarcerated offenders in South Africa

There has been an increase in female incarcerated offenders nationally and internationally. Despite this trend, literature and research on female offenders remain limited compared to their male counterparts. Evidence of the relationship between certain personality disorders and offending behaviour has led numerous countries to prioritise identifying and assessing personality disorders among the offender population. Psychopathic personality traits may contribute to women's risk factors for expressing antisocial behaviours, resulting in their potential future incarceration. Thus, a need exists to understand possible factors that may predict the expression of psychopathic traits in females, which may have notable utility among female offenders. This study aimed to investigate possible predictor variables of psychopathy amongst incarcerated female offenders in South Africa. A quantitative research approach, non-experimental research type, and correlational research design were employed. A convenience sampling technique was used. The sample consisted of 139 (N = 139) female offenders housed in two correctional centres in South Africa who voluntarily participated in this study. Correlation analyses and hierarchical regression analysis procedures were conducted to analyse the results. Results indicated (i) a certain combination of predictor variables that statistically and practically significantly explained both primary and secondary psychopathy and (ii) individual predictor variables (e.g., Impulsivity, Simple Tasks, Risk-Seeking, and Self-Centredness) that explained both primary and secondary psychopathy statistically and practically significantly. This study provides valuable information about the possible predictor variables of psychopathy amongst female offenders within the context of South Africa. However, further research must be conducted to validate these findings and advance our knowledge on this topic.

Schizophrenia mediating the effect of smoking phenotypes on antisocial behavior: A Mendelian randomization analysis

AIMS

Previous studies have indicated that smoking is linked to an increased risk of developing schizophrenia, and that individuals with schizophrenia are more prone to engaging in antisocial behavior. However, the causal effects of smoking behaviors on antisocial behavior and the potential mediating role of schizophrenia remains largely unclear.

METHODS

In the present study, using the summary data from genome wide association studies of smoking phenotypes (N = 323,386-805,431), schizophrenia (Ncases = 53,386, Ncontrols = 77,258), and antisocial behavior (N = 85,359), we assessed bidirectional causality between smoking phenotypes and schizophrenia by the Mendelian randomization (MR) approach. Using a two-step MR approach, we further examined whether causal effects of smoking phenotypes/schizophrenia on antisocial behavior were mediated by schizophrenia/smoking phenotypes.

RESULTS

The results showed that smoking initiation (SmkInit) and age of smoking initiation (AgeSmk) causally increase the risk of schizophrenia (SmkInit: OR = 2.06, 95% CI = 1.77-2.39, p = 4.36 × 10-21 ; AgeSmk: OR = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.16-0.62, p = 8.11 × 10-4 , Bonferroni corrected). However, there was no causal effect that liability to schizophrenia leads to smoking phenotypes. MR evidence also revealed causal influences of SmkInit and the amount smoked (CigDay) on antisocial behavior (SmkInit: OR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.17-1.41, p = 2.53 × 10-7 ; CigDay: OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.06-1.27, p = 1.60 × 10-3 , Bonferroni corrected). Furthermore, the mediation analysis indicated that the relationship between SmkInit and antisocial behavior was partly mediated by schizophrenia (mediated proportion = 6.92%, 95% CI = 0.004-0.03, p = 9.66 × 10-3 ).

CONCLUSIONS

These results provide compelling evidence for taking smoking interventions as a prevention strategy for schizophrenia and its related antisocial behavior.

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.

Conduct disorder - a comprehensive exploration of comorbidity patterns, genetic and environmental risk factors

Conduct disorder (CD), a common mental disorder in children and adolescents, is characterized by antisocial behavior. Despite similarities with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and possible diagnostic continuity, CD has been shown to precede a range of adult-onset mental disorders. Additionally, little is known about the putative shared genetic liability between CD and adult-onset mental disorders and the underlying gene-environment interplay. Here, we interrogated comorbidity between CD and other mental disorders from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (n = 114 500) and investigated how polygenic risk scores (PRS) for mental health traits were associated with CD/CD traits in childhood and adolescence. Gene-environment interplay patterns for CD was explored with data on bullying and parental education. We found CD to be comorbid with several child and adult-onset mental disorders. This phenotypic overlap corresponded with associations between PRS for mental disorders and CD. Additionally, our findings support an additive gene-environment model. Previously conceptualized as a precursor of ASPD, we found that CD was associated with polygenic risk for several child- and adult-onset mental disorders. High comorbidity of CD with other psychiatric disorders reflected on the genetic level should inform research studies, diagnostic assessments and clinical follow-up of this heterogenous group.

Which Clinical and Demographic Factors are Related to Incarceration in Male Patients With Antisocial Personality Disorder?

Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD) is a condition largely represented in detention centers where can reach a prevalence of 60% in male prisoners. The objective of this study is to identify the clinical and demographic factors that differentiate subjects with APD and hosted in penitentiary with respect to those are treated in outpatient psychiatric clinics. We recruited 65 male patients affected by APD, whose 26 were followed up in community mental health services and 39 were serving their sentence in a detention center located in Monza. Socio-demographic and clinical data were obtained through a review of the clinical charts, and interviews with patients or their relatives (if available). We performed descriptive analyses on the total sample, then we compared the two groups identified by the type of setting (outpatient clinic vs. penitentiary) by independent sample t tests (quantitative variables) or χ2 tests (qualitative ones). For qualitative variables odds ratios (ORs) were also calculated. Outpatients with APD (with respect to those hosted in the detention center) resulted: to be older (p = .02), to be less likely married (p = .01), to have more pre-onset psychiatric comorbidity (p = .05), to have more pre-onset substance poly-misuse (p = .01), to have more previous psychiatric hospitalizations (p < .01), and to be less likely to have received lifetime psychotherapy (p < .01). Globally, the results of this study show how the presence of psychiatric comorbidity or substance abuse (with the probable access to psychiatric services) before the onset of APD prevents imprisonment. This aspect is even more surprising when we consider that the two groups of patients show no differences in the frequency of crimes. Future research will have to confirm if early mental health care can really limit the access to penitentiary of subjects affected by APD.

A latent class analysis of mental disorders, substance use, and aggressive antisocial behavior among Swedish forensic psychiatric patients

BACKGROUND

Patients in the forensic mental health services (FMHS) with a mental disorder, a co-occurring substance use disorder (SUD), and high risk of aggressive antisocial behavior (AAB) are sometimes referred to as the 'triply troubled'. They suffer poor treatment outcomes, high rates of criminal recidivism, and increased risk of drug related mortality. To improve treatment for this heterogeneous patient group, more insight is needed concerning their co-occurring mental disorders, types of substances used, and the consequent risk of AAB.

METHODS

A three-step latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify clinically relevant subgroups in a sample of patients (n = 98) from a high-security FMHS clinic in Sweden based on patterns in their history of mental disorders, SUD, types of substances used, and AAB.

RESULTS

A four-class model best fit our data: class 1 (42%) had a high probability of SUD, psychosis, and having used all substances; class 2 (26%) had a high probability of psychosis and cannabis use; class 3 (22%) had a high probability of autism and no substance use; and class 4 (10%) had a high probability of personality disorders and having used all substances. Both polysubstance classes (1 and 4) had a significantly more extensive history of AAB compared to classes 2 and 3. Class 3 and class 4 had extensive histories of self-directed aggression.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study helps disentangle the heterogeneity of the 'triply troubled' patient group in FMHS. The results provide an illustration of a more person-oriented perspective on patient comorbidity and types of substances used which could benefit clinical assessment, treatment planning, and risk-management among patients in forensic psychiatric care.

Brain structural correlates of psychopathic traits in elite female combat-sports athletes

Psychopathy is characterized by glibness and superficial charm, as well as a lack of empathy, guilt and remorse, and is often accompanied by antisocial behaviour. The cerebral bases of this syndrome have been mostly studied in violent subjects or those with a criminal history. However, the antisocial component of psychopathy is not central to its conceptualization, and in fact, psychopathic traits are present in well-adjusted, non-criminal individuals within the general population. Interestingly, certain psychopathy characteristics appear to be particularly pronounced in some groups or professions. Importantly, as these so-called adaptive or successful psychopaths do not show antisocial tendencies or have significant psychiatric comorbidities, they may represent an ideal population to study this trait. Here, we investigated such a group, specifically elite female judo athletes, and compared them with matched non-athletes. Participants completed psychopathy, anger, perspective-taking and empathic concern questionnaires and underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Grey matter volume (GMV) was computed using voxel-based morphometry from the T1-weighted images. Athletes scored significantly higher in primary psychopathy and anger and lower in empathy and perspective taking. They also exhibited smaller GMV in the right temporal pole, left occipital cortex and left amygdala/hippocampus. GMV values for the latter cluster significantly correlated with primary psychopathy scores across both groups. These results confirm and extend previous findings to a little-studied population and provide support for the conceptualization of psychopathy as a dimensional personality trait which not only is not necessarily associated with antisocial behaviour but may potentially have adaptive value.

Association of Khat Use Disorder and Antisocial Personality Disorder Among Inmates in Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: To examine the relationship between khat use disorder and antisocial personality disorder in newly admitted inmates in a correctional facility in Ethiopia.

Methods: A cross-sectional study using successive sampling was conducted among 411 new inmates from April 20 to July 19, 2019. The Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test was utilized to measure khat use. DSM-5 diagnostic criteria were used to identify antisocial personality disorder. Environmental, criminal, and clinical backgrounds of the inmates were also evaluated.

Results: The prevalence of current khat use and khat use disorder was 49.4% and 37%, respectively. The prevalence of khat use disorder among inmates with antisocial personality disorder was 76%. Inmates with antisocial personality disorder were twice as likely as those without antisocial personality disorder to have khat use disorder (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2; 95% CI, 1.2-3.4). Punishment for misconduct in prior imprisonment (AOR = 3; 95% CI, 1.6-5.3), family history of alcohol use (AOR = 2; 95% CI, 1.3-3.5), and chronic physical illness (AOR = 5.3; 95% CI, 2.4-11.8) were significantly associated with khat use disorder.

Conclusions: The prevalence of khat use disorder was higher among inmates with antisocial personality disorder, and antisocial personality disorder is linked to khat use disorder. The findings of this study suggest the need for the establishment of a mental health system in all prison institutions in Ethiopia to enhance early screening for underlying medical conditions, history of substance use, and antisocial personality disorder. Those inmates with identified substance use need detoxification therapy and motivational interviews after prison admission.

Prim Care Companion CNS Disord 2023;25(5):22m03470.

Author affiliations are listed at the end of this article.

Cognitive and clinical characteristics of offenders and non-offenders diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: results of the Recoviwel observational study

The association between schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) and violent behavior is complex and requires further research. The cognitive correlates of violent behavior, in particular, remain to be further investigated. Aims of the present study were to comprehensively assess the cognitive and clinical profile of SSD violent offenders and evaluate individual predictors of violent behavior. Fifty inmates convicted for violent crimes in a forensic psychiatry setting and diagnosed with SSD were compared to fifty non-offender patients matched for age, gender, education, and diagnosis. Offender and non-offender participants were compared based on socio-demographic, clinical, and cognitive variables using non-parametric testing to select potential predictors of violent behavior. Multivariate logistic regressions were then performed to identify individual predictors of violent behavior. Offender participants showed more school failures, higher prevalence of substance use, higher Clinical Global Impression Severity Scale (CGI-S) and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale Excited Component (PANSS-EC) scores, worse working memory and better attention performance, higher Historical Clinical and Risk Management scale 20 (HCR-20) and Hare Psychopathy Checklist (PCL-R) scores in all subdomains and factors. School failures, higher PANSS-EC scores, worse working memory and processing speed, better attention performance, higher scores in HCR-20 Management subscale and the PCL-R "Callous" factor emerged as predictors of violent behavior. Better attentional performance was correlated with higher PCL-R "Callous" factor scores, worse cognitive performance in several domains with higher PCL-R "Unstable" factor scores. In conclusion, the present study highlights the importance of carefully assessing SSD patients with violent behavior in all clinical, cognitive, and behavioral aspects.

Health of Convicted Persons in the Third Generation of the Longitudinal Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development

Research suggests that convicted persons are more likely than non-convicted persons to suffer poor health. However, few longitudinal studies have investigated associations between health and offending across generations. Using the Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development, this article prospectively investigates the relationship between health and offending across generations and between genders. At the average age of 25, third generation convicted males and females reported a higher incidence of serious drug use than non-convicted persons. Convicted males reported a higher incidence of mental illness and self-harm, whereas convicted females reported a lower incidence of physical illness, mental illness, self-harm and hospitalizations when compared to non-convicted females. Convicted males reported a higher incidence of industrial accidents, sports injuries and fight injuries, but a lower incidence of road accidents, whereas convicted females were more likely to report road accidents. Like their fathers, convicted males show worse health compared to non-convicted individuals.

Antisocial behavior is associated with reduced frontoparietal activity to loss in a population-based sample of adolescents

BACKGROUND

Adolescent antisocial behavior (AB) is a public health concern due to the high financial and social costs of AB on victims and perpetrators. Neural systems involved in reward and loss processing are thought to contribute to AB. However, investigations into these processes are limited: few have considered anticipatory and consummatory components of reward, response to loss, nor whether associations with AB may vary by level of callous-unemotional (CU) traits.

METHODS

A population-based community sample of 128 predominantly low-income youth (mean age = 15.9 years; 42% male) completed a monetary incentive delay task during fMRI. A multi-informant, multi-method latent variable approach was used to test associations between AB and neural response to reward and loss anticipation and outcome and whether CU traits moderated these associations.

RESULTS

AB was not associated with neural response to reward but was associated with reduced frontoparietal activity during loss outcomes. This association was moderated by CU traits such that individuals with higher levels of AB and CU traits had the largest reductions in frontoparietal activity. Co-occurring AB and CU traits were also associated with increased precuneus response during loss anticipation.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings indicate that AB is associated with reduced activity in brain regions involved in cognitive control, attention, and behavior modification during negative outcomes. Moreover, these reductions are most pronounced in youth with co-occurring CU traits. These findings have implications for understanding why adolescents involved in AB continue these behaviors despite severe negative consequences (e.g. incarceration).

Examining the clinical correlates of conduct disorder in youth with bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

Conduct Disorder (CD) is highly comorbid with Bipolar Disorder (BP) and this comorbidity is associated with high morbidity and dysfunction. We sought to better understand the clinical characteristics and familiality of comorbid BP + CD by examining children with BP with and without co-morbid CD.

METHODS

357 subjects with BP were derived from two independent datasets of youth with and without BP. All subjects were evaluated with structured diagnostic interviews, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and neuropsychological testing. We stratified the sample of subjects with BP by the presence or absence of CD and compared the two groups on measures of psychopathology, school functioning, and neurocognitive functioning. First-degree relatives of subjects with BP +/- CD were compared on rates of psychopathology in relatives.

RESULTS

Subjects with BP + CD compared to BP without CD had significantly more impaired scores on the CBCL Aggressive Behavior (p < 0.001), Attention Problems (p = 0.002), Rule-Breaking Behavior (p < 0.001), Social Problems (p < 0.001), Withdrawn/Depressed clinical scales (p = 0.005), the Externalizing Problems (p < 0.001), and Total Problems composite scales(p < 0.001). Subjects with BP + CD had significantly higher rates of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) (p = 0.002), any SUD (p < 0.001), and cigarette smoking (p = 0.001). First-degree relatives of subjects with BP + CD had significantly higher rates of CD/ODD/ASPD and cigarette smoking compared to first-degree relatives of subjects without CD.

LIMITATIONS

The generalization of our findings was limited due to a largely homogeneous sample and no CD only comparison group.

CONCLUSIONS

Given the deleterious outcomes associated with comorbid BP + CD, further efforts in identification and treatment are necessary.

A comparison of the role of aggression in the association between hostile interpretation bias and antisocial personality features between young offenders and university students

BACKGROUND

Antisocial personality features in adolescents are frequently associated with delinquency and constitute the problem that most concerns the criminal justice system and the public. Hostile interpretation bias has been identified as a candidate for explaining emergent adolescent antisocial personality problems and aggression, but it is unclear whether offenders and non-offenders show differences in the relationships between hostile interpretation bias, aggression and antisocial personality features.

AIMS

To compare relationships between hostile interpretation bias and a personality measure between incarcerated teenagers and first year university students and to explore aggression and criminal history as mediating or moderating variables.

METHODS

Fifty-three 16-18-year-old incarcerated male offenders and 69 17-20-year-old male university students were recruited, the former through institutional staff and the latter by online advert only. Individuals in both groups self-rated, in private, on the Word and Sentence Association Paradigm-hostile (WSAP), The Ambiguous Intentions Hostility Questionnaire (AIHQ), Hostility Interpretation Bias Task (HIBT) as tests for hostile interpretation bias, and on the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire and on Hyler's Personality Disorder Questionnaire (PDQ-4). Among the students, criminal history was assessed by a self-reported binary question. LASSO regressions were used to test inter-relationships between hostile interpretation bias and aggression or antisocial personality traits. Mediation and moderation were tested using MPLUS 7.4.

RESULTS

The WSAP and AIHQ, as measures of self-reported hostility bias, had relationships with self-reported aggression (Pearson r 0.24-0.58, p < 0.001) and with antisocial personality features (r 0.36-0.50, p < 0.001), the HIBT did not. Aggression scores mediated the relationship between hostile interpretation bias and antisocial personality features. Furthermore, the relationship between hostile interpretation bias and aggression was stronger among the young offenders (estimates 0.43-0.75) than among the university students without criminal history (estimates 0.13-0.36).

CONCLUSIONS

Hostile interpretation bias appears to promote antisocial personality features by increasing an individual's aggression, regardless of social status, although the effect was much stronger among the young offenders. To reduce young people's antisocial personality features, future studies should perhaps focus on evaluating strategies to reduce hostile bias or prevent it from being expressed in aggressive behaviours.

Comorbidity and heterogeneity: Two challenges for personality pathology research

We critique the general state of methodological rigor in contemporary personality pathology research, focusing on challenges in study design, assessment, and data analysis resulting from two pervasive problems: comorbidity and heterogeneity. To inform our understanding of this literature, we examined every article published in the two main specialty journals for personality pathology research-Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment and the Journal of Personality Disorders-in the 18-month period from January 2020 to June 2021 (a total of 23 issues and 197 articles). Our review of this database indicated that only three forms of personality pathology have generated substantial attention in the recent literature: borderline personality disorder (featured in 93 articles), psychopathy/antisocial personality disorder (39 articles), and narcissism/narcissistic personality disorder (28 articles), so we highlight them in our review. We discuss comorbidity-related problems that arise from group-based designs and recommend instead that researchers assess multiple forms of psychopathology as continuous dimensions. We offer separate recommendations for addressing heterogeneity in diagnosis- versus trait-based studies. For the former, we recommend that researchers (a) use measures that permit criterion-level analyses and (b) routinely report criterion-level results. For the latter, we emphasize the importance of examining specific traits when measures are known to be highly heterogeneous/multidimensional. Finally, we encourage researchers to work toward a truly comprehensive trait dimensional model of personality pathology. We suggest that this might include expanding the current alternative model of personality disorders to include additional content related to borderline features, psychopathy, and narcissism. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Life-Course Persistent Antisocial Behavior and Accelerated Biological Aging in a Longitudinal Birth Cohort

Prior research shows that individuals who have exhibited antisocial behavior are in poorer health than their same-aged peers. A major driver of poor health is aging itself, yet research has not investigated relationships between offending trajectories and biological aging. We tested the hypothesis that individuals following a life-course persistent (LCP) antisocial trajectory show accelerated aging in midlife. Trajectories of antisocial behavior from age 7 to 26 years were studied in the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, a population-representative birth cohort (N = 1037). Signs of aging were assessed at age 45 years using previously validated measures including biomarkers, clinical tests, and self-reports. First, we tested whether the association between antisocial behavior trajectories and midlife signs of faster aging represented a decline from initial childhood health. We then tested whether decline was attributable to tobacco smoking, antipsychotic medication use, debilitating illnesses in adulthood, adverse exposures in childhood (maltreatment, socioeconomic disadvantage) and adulthood (incarceration), and to childhood self-control difficulties. Study members with a history of antisocial behavior had a significantly faster pace of biological aging by midlife, and this was most evident among individuals following the LCP trajectory (β, 0.22, 95%CI, 0.14, 0.28, p ≤ 0.001). This amounted to 4.3 extra years of biological aging between ages 25-45 years for Study members following the LCP trajectory compared to low-antisocial trajectory individuals. LCP offenders also experienced more midlife difficulties with hearing (β, -0.14, 95%CI, -0.21, -0.08, p ≤ 0.001), balance (β, -0.13, 95%CI, -0.18, -0.06, p ≤ 0.001), gait speed (β, -0.18, 95%CI, -0.24, -0.10, p ≤ 0.001), and cognitive functioning (β, -0.25, 95%CI, -0.31, -0.18, p ≤ 0.001). Associations represented a decline from childhood health. Associations persisted after controlling individually for tobacco smoking, antipsychotic medication use, midlife illnesses, maltreatment, socioeconomic status, incarceration, and childhood self-control difficulties. However, the cumulative effect of these lifestyle characteristics together explained why LCP offenders have a faster Pace of Aging than their peers. While older adults typically age-out of crime, LCP offenders will likely age-into the healthcare system earlier than their chronologically same-aged peers. Preventing young people from offending is likely to have substantial benefits for health, and people engaging in a LCP trajectory of antisocial behaviors might be the most in need of health promotion programs. We offer prevention and intervention strategies to reduce the financial burden of offenders on healthcare systems and improve their wellbeing.

Mediating Effects of Discipline Approaches on the Relationship between Parental Mental Health and Adolescent Antisocial Behaviours: Retrospective Study of a Multisystemic Therapy Intervention

Poor parental mental health is one of the risk factors for child emotional and behavioural problems because it reduces caregiver's ability to provide appropriate care for their child. This study aimed to measure changes in parenting factors and adolescent behaviours after Multisystemic Therapy (MST), and to explore the mediating role of discipline approaches on the relationship between parental mental health and adolescent behavioural problems. This retrospective study extracted data collected from 193 families engaged with the MST research program during 2014-2019. Data was collected at different time points (pre-treatment, post-treatment, 6- and 12-months follow-up). Statistically significant changes were found in adolescent behaviours and parenting factors following the MST intervention and these positive changes were maintained over the following 12 months. Results of the parallel multiple mediator model analysis confirmed mediating effects of discipline approaches on the relationship between parental mental health and adolescent's behavioural problems. The findings suggested that parental mental well-being significantly contributes to effectiveness of parenting, which resulted in positive changes in adolescent's behavioural problems. It is recommended caregiver's parental skills and any mental health issues are addressed during the intervention to enhance positive outcomes in adolescent behaviour.

Why Is Maternal Control Harmful? The Relation between Maternal Control, Insecure Attachment and Antisocial Personality Disorder Features in Chinese College Students: A Sequential Mediation Model

BACKGROUND

Previous work has indicated that a negative parenting style is associated with antisocial personality disorder features in Chinese college students, yet few studies have explored the unique role of negative mothering in children's antisocial personality disorder.

METHODS

The current study mainly examined the sequential mediation effect of parental antipathy and neglect (PAN) and mother negative loving (a form of insecure attachment) in the association between mother control and adulthood antisocial personality disorder features (ASPD features) in the framework of attachment theory and cognitive-behavioral theory. A community sample of 1547 Chinese college students filled in the Parental Bonding Instrument, the Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse Questionnaire, the Adult Attachment Questionnaire and the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire-4+.

RESULTS

A sequential mediation model analysis showed that maternal control significantly predicted PAN, mother negative loving, as well as ASPD features.

CONCLUSIONS

Mother control and mother negative loving appear to advance on the development and exacerbation of ASPD features in college students.

A meta-analysis of childhood maltreatment in relation to psychopathic traits

Psychopathy is a personality disorder characterized by a mix of traits belonging to four facets: affective (e.g., callous/lack of empathy), interpersonal (e.g., grandiosity), behavioral instability (e.g., impulsivity, poor behavioral controls), and social deviance (e.g., juvenile delinquency, criminal versatility). Several scholars have argued that early childhood maltreatment impacts the development of psychopathy, although views regarding its role in the four facets differ. We conducted a meta-analysis including 47 studies comprising a total of 389 effect sizes and 12,737 participants, to investigate the association between psychopathy and four types of child maltreatment: physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse. We found support for a moderate link between overall psychopathy and childhood physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect, as well as overall childhood maltreatment. The link between psychopathy and childhood sexual abuse was small, but still statistically significant. These associations were stronger for the behavioral and antisocial facets than for the affective and interpersonal facets of psychopathy, but nearly all associations were statistically significant. Our findings are consistent with recently developed theories on the role of complex trauma in the development of severe personality disorders. Trauma-focused preventive and therapeutic interventions can provide further tests of the trauma-psychopathy hypothesis.

Differential Eating Behavior Patterns among the Dark Triad

There is little extant empirical literature examining the associations between Dark Triad (DT: Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) and eating behaviors. The current study (n = 361) investigated the associations between Dark Triad and restrained eating, uncontrolled eating, and emotional eating in a sample drawn from the general population. The results from the study indicate that (a) despite expected sex differences in narcissism and primary psychopathy, no sex differences were found in Machiavellianism, secondary psychopathy, and eating behaviors; (b) among women, Machiavellianism was a protective factor against uncontrolled eating behaviors; (c) the sex of the participant moderated the narcissism–uncontrolled eating behaviors and narcissism–emotional eating behaviors relationships, with the negative correlation being stronger for men than that for women; (d) secondary psychopathy, rather than primary psychopathy, was associated with higher uncontrolled eating behaviors in both sexes, and associated with higher emotional eating behaviors for men only. The implication of these findings are interpreted and discussed.

An Epidemiologic Survey and Violent Behavior Analysis of Antisocial Personality Disorder in Young Men in Chengdu

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) in young men in Chengdu and explore the characteristics and risks of violence.

METHODS

Stratified random sampling was used to conduct a self-assessment questionnaire survey in 4 108 males aged from 18 to 34 in Chengdu, including general demographic characteristics, structured clinical interview for the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders-Ⅳ axis Ⅱ disorders (SCID-Ⅱ) personality disorder screen questionnaire, violence questionnaire, psychosis screening questionnaire (PSQ), Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and drug use. χ² test, univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used for analysis and odds ratio (OR) was calculated.

RESULTS

The positive rate of ASPD was 5.91%, which was associated with young age, unmarried, unemployment state, low educational level, violent behavior, psychotic symptoms, alcohol and drug use (P<0.05). Young men with ASPD also had a risk (P<0.05) of violence (OR was 8.51), multiple violence (OR was 16.57), injury (OR was 6.68), intentional violence (OR was 11.41), etc., the risk decreased after controlling for psychotic symptoms and substance abuse, but was still statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

The risk of violence, severe violence and intentional violence in young men in Chengdu is high, and psychotic symptoms and substance abuse increase the risk of ASPD violence and relate characteristics.

The contribution of psychopathic traits and substance use in the prediction of recidivism of sexual offenders

Substance use and dependence may play an essential role in the risk of reoffending by sex offenders. Research examining the influence of substance use and dependence on the criminal behaviour of psychopathic sex offenders is limited. Alcohol and drug use have been identified as factors which promote criminal behaviour and are suspected to contribute, at least partially, to the probability of reoffending. For instance, previous research showed that elevated scores on the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (MAST) contribute to the predictability of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist - Revised (PCL-R) on recidivism. The current study retrospectively evaluated a database of incarcerated high-risk offenders registered in the Regional Treatment Center, Sex Offender Treatment Program (RTCSOTP); in order to assess the contribution of self-disclosed histories of alcohol and substance use and dependency have, in concert with measures of psychopathic characteristics, on the predictability of recidivism. Results of the retrospective data identified PCL-R and DAST (Drug Abuse Screening Test) scores as significant predictors of sexual and violent recidivism of male inmates undergoing treatment in RTCSOTP within 5 years of their release. MAST scores, however, did not significantly contribute to the predictability of sexual and violent recidivism in this population. We conclude, drug use should be considered as an important factor when addressing recidivism in sexual offenders who demonstrate psychopathic characteristics.

The endocannabinoid system in borderline personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder: A scoping review

Individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) or antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) are overrepresented in forensic settings. Yet, despite the burden these disorders place on healthcare and criminal justice systems, there remains a lack of evidence-based pharmacological treatments. Epidemiological data have shown that comorbid cannabis use disorders are common in BPD and ASPD. ∆⁹ -Tetrahydrocannabinol, the primary psychoactive constituent of cannabis, is an exogenous cannabinoid that stimulates the endocannabinoid system (ECS). Hence, an investigation of the ECS in these conditions is warranted. This scoping review screened 105 records and summarized the extant research on the ECS in ASPD (n = 69) and BPD (n = 61) participants. Preliminary results suggest that alterations of the ECS may be present in these disorders. Although research examining the ECS in personality disorders is still in its infancy, more research is warranted given initial positive findings.

Progression of externalizing disorders into anxiety disorders: Longitudinal transitions in the first three decades of life

BACKGROUND

There is a notable comorbidity between externalizing disorders and anxiety disorders, which may be explained by the co-occurrence of two prevalent early-onset disorders, by shared vulnerability and risk factors, or as evidence that one disorder group might be causally related to the other.

AIM

To investigate the longitudinal trajectories of externalizing disorders, their interplay with anxiety disorders, and putative predictors for symptom progression in youth.

METHODS

1053 adolescents (14-17 years) from the general population were assessed at baseline and prospectively at 2, 4, and 10-year follow-up using a standardized interview of mental disorders (DIA-X/M-CIDI) to assess "early" (oppositional-defiant disorder, conduct disorder, ADHD) and "late" (antisocial behavior, substance use disorders) externalizing disorders as well as anxiety disorders. Longitudinal associations and predictors for symptom progression were examined using Kaplan-Meier-analyses.

RESULTS

Lifetime prevalence of early externalizing disorders were 9.1% and 6.4% among those with and without any anxiety disorder. A late externalizing disorder was reported by 50.3% of those with an early externalizing disorder and in 26.6% of those with any anxiety disorder. Both early (HR: 1.5, 95%CI: 1.0-2.3) and late externalizing disorders (HR: 2.1, 95%CI: 1.7-2.6) were associated with incident anxiety disorders. Higher parental rejection, lower volitional inhibition, and higher volitional avoidance predicted incident anxiety disorders among those with early externalizing disorders.

DISCUSSION

Early externalizing disorders likely follow a homotypic continuity (to late externalizing disorders) and/or a heterotypic continuity to anxiety disorders, and thus appear as a useful target for prevention and early intervention.

A Longitudinal Test of the Mediational Role of Delinquent Peer Association on the Link Between Psychopathy and Offending

Although prior research has found that psychopathy and delinquent peer association are predictors of delinquency, less research has assessed the dynamic role of peers in the relationship between psychopathic traits and offending. Using 10 waves of data from the Pathways to Desistance longitudinal study (n = 1,354), the current exploratory study investigates the impact of changes in delinquent peer association on the relationship between psychopathy and self-reported offending. Although the effects are small, results indicate that youth with higher Psychopathy Checklist Youth Version (PCL:YV; Forth et al.) scores report higher initial levels of delinquent peer association, which results in increases in offending over the study period. Initial levels (intercept) and change (slope) in delinquent peer association are positively associated with offending. Findings also demonstrate that initial levels and changes in delinquent peer association mediate the relationship between psychopathy and changes in offending. The findings have implications for delinquency prevention and intervention efforts for all adolescents and particularly serious offenders.

Understanding mechanisms underlying the relationship between antisocial personality disorder and substance-impaired driving among young adults involved with the justice system as minors

INTRODUCTION

Antisocial personality disorder is a risk factor associated with increased risk for substance-impaired driving. While past research has focused on identifying prevalence rates for the disorder among substance-impaired drivers, there is a dearth of research focused on identifying the mechanisms by which the disorder actually functions to increase risk for the behavior among young adults who were formerly adjudicated for a serious offense. There are cognitive, affective, and social mechanisms that may help to explain this relationship.

METHOD

Impulse control, hostility, and deviant peer association are examined as mechanisms that explain the relationship in each of these domains, respectively. The Pathways to Desistance data were utilized in analyses, comprising the responses of 1,354 youth who were adjudicated for a serious offense just prior to baseline measurements. Generalized structural equation modeling was used to examine the direct effects of antisocial personality disorder on substance-impaired driving risk and the hypothesized mechanism variables were then included in the model to determine which of them provided significant pathways through which the main relationship operated.

RESULTS

Results indicated that meeting criteria for a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder was associated with increased risk of substance-impaired driving at follow-up. This relationship was attenuated to non-significance upon inclusion of the mechanism variables and reduced in magnitude by 20%. This attenuation was due almost entirely to impulse control. Practical Applications: This provides indication that intervention for substance-impaired driving offenders with antisocial personality disorder may be most effective when structured around improving impulse control for young adults who were previously involved with the juvenile/criminal justice system.

Cluster B Personality Traits and Psychological Intimate Partner Violence: Considering the Mediational Role of Alcohol

The study of intimate partner violence (IPV) has evolved into more complex and integrative models to better understand the explanatory mechanisms of IPV perpetration. Nevertheless, integrative models rarely permit an in-depth analysis of a large number of relevant variables, and more specific approximations are required as basis of them. In this sense, the individual approach is the most productive research line. From the individual perspective and using data from imprisoned male offenders, the present study aimed to analyze the potential mediating role of alcohol dependence in the association of Cluster B personality traits and psychological IPV. The sample included 196 male inmates of the Penitentiary Center of Villabona (Asturias, Spain). Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothetical and alternative models. First, model results only showed an indirect effect of antisocial and borderline personalities mediated by alcohol dependence. Nevertheless, fitting of the model to the data was poor. Second, a fully saturated model was calculated, revealing a direct effect of histrionic personality on psychological IPV. Finally, an alternative model was tested adding to first model the direct effect of histrionic personality on psychological IPV. The fitting of the alternative model to the data was good. Antisocial and borderline personalities predicted psychological IPV when mediated by alcohol dependence, while histrionic personality had a direct effect on psychological IPV. Narcissistic personality did not affect psychological IPV. These results support the hypothesis regarding the use of alcohol as a coping mechanism in antisocial and borderline individuals, acting as a disinhibitory factor which increases the likelihood of psychological IPV occurrence. Contrary to previous research, a clear direct effect of histrionic personality and psychological IPV was obtained. This association can be explained by the necessity of attention of histrionic individuals and the type (psychological) of violence studied.

Behavioral Activation System and Early Life Parental Abuse Are Associated with Antisocial Behaviors in Mexican Adolescents

Antisocial behavior (AB) is a complex phenomenon, predicted by a wide range of biological, environmental, and personality factors. These have high human and economic costs especially in adolescents, highlighting the importance of investigating factors that may be associated with these behaviors. Among the most potent predictors of AB are early life experiences and personality. To this end, the present study sought to investigate the association between early life parental abuse and behavioral activation system (BAS) personality traits assessed within the reinforcement sensitivity theory (RST) framework and antisocial behaviors in Mexican adolescents. Our sample consisted of 342 adolescents (Mage = 17, SD = 2.47) from northwestern Mexico. Participants, after parental consent and participant consent/assent (if minors), self-reported early life parental abuse, current BAS personality traits, and antisocial behaviors. Through structural equation models, our results suggest there is a positive association between early life parental abuse and antisocial behaviors, as well as a negative association with BAS personality traits (R2 = 37%). These results contribute to the current literature by suggesting that personality and environmental variables can predict adolescent antisocial behaviors. Future studies should explore the interplay between these variables longitudinally and investigate both risk and protective factors, as well as negative and positive outcomes.

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Personality, and Crime: Distinct Associations among a High-Risk Sample of Institutionalized Youth

Despite high rates of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and personality-related disturbances among delinquent juveniles, associations among ACEs, youth personality, and juvenile crime involvement are still unclear. High-risk samples of institutionalized youth are in specific need of a comprehensive assessment of ACEs and personality features in order to broaden the current knowledge on the occurrence and persistence of juvenile crime and to derive implications for prevention and intervention. We examined a heterogeneous high-risk sample of 342 adolescents (35.1% females, 64.9% males) aged between 12 and 18 years (M = 15.74, SD = 1.61 years) living in child-welfare or juvenile justice institutions regarding cumulative ACEs, psychopathic traits, temperament, and clinical personality disorder ratings, and criminal involvement before and up to 10 years after assessment. We found considerable rates of ACEs, although cumulative ACEs did not predict future crime. Latent Profile Analysis based on dimensional measures of psychopathy, temperament, and personality disorders derived six distinct personality profiles, which were differently related to ACEs, personality disturbances, clinical psychopathology, and future delinquency. A socially difficult personality profile was associated with increased risk of future crime, whereas avoidant personality traits appeared protective. Findings indicate that the role of ACEs in the prediction of juvenile delinquency is still not sufficiently clear and that relying on single personality traits alone is insufficient in the explanation of juvenile crime.

Does adolescent drug use belong on the antisocial spectrum? Mediating the drug-crime connection with cognitive impulsivity

The purpose of this study was to determine whether adolescent drug use can be considered part of the antisocial spectrum. This was done by testing two pathways from adolescent drug use to early adult offending, one of which was mediated by cognitive insensitivity and the other of which was mediated by cognitive impulsivity. It was hypothesized that the impulsivity-mediated pathway would achieve significance, the insensitivity-mediated pathway would not achieve significance, and the impulsivity-mediated indirect effect would significantly outperform the insensitivity-mediated indirect effect. Participants for this study were the 4576 youth from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health). All participants in the current investigation were between the ages of 11 and 18 at the start of the study (Time 1 or Wave II of Add Health). The research hypothesis received partial support in that while the impulsivity-mediated pathway achieved significance and the insensitivity-mediated pathway did not, the difference between the two pathways was non-significant. These results suggest that early drug use may play a role in the antisocial spectrum as an antecedent to delinquency/crime by way of cognitive impulsivity.

Interpersonal trauma and its relation to childhood psychopathic traits: what does ADHD and ODD add to the equation?

BACKGROUND

Childhood trauma has demonstrated associations with callous-unemotional traits (e.g., reflecting lack of remorse and guilt, unconcern about own performance). Less is known about associations between trauma and multiple domains of child psychopathic traits. There has also been limited focus on the role of co-occurring disorders to psychopathy traits among children, namely, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and how they interact with childhood trauma.

METHODS

We examined to what degree childhood interpersonal trauma can predict parent-rated psychopathic traits in a large population based Swedish twin sample (N = 5057), using a stringent definition of interpersonal trauma occurring before age 10. Two hundred and fifty-one participants met the interpersonal trauma criteria for analysis. The study explored the additional impact of traits of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD).

RESULTS

Linear regressions demonstrated statistically significant but clinically negligible effects of interpersonal trauma on total and subscale scores of parent-rated psychopathic traits. When exploring interaction effects of ADHD and ODD into the model, the effect increased. There were interaction effects between ODD and trauma in relation to psychopathic traits, suggesting a moderating role of ODD. Having been exposed to trauma before age 10 was significantly associated with higher parent rated psychopathy traits as measured by The Child Problematic Traits Inventory-Short Version (CPTI-SV), however the explained variance was small (0.3-0.9%).

CONCLUSIONS

The results challenge the notion of association between interpersonal trauma and youth psychopathic traits. They also highlight the need to gain an improved understanding of overlap between psychopathic traits, ADHD and ODD for clinical screening purposes and the underlying developmental mechanisms.

Examining the potential link between child maltreatment and callous-unemotional traits in children and adolescents: A multilevel analysis

BACKGROUND

There is a great deal of research indicating that callous-unemotional traits in childhood are among the strongest predictors of adult psychopathy and psychopathic traits. As a result, there has been a recent surge of studies examining potential risk factors that may be related to the development of callous-unemotional traits.

OBJECTIVE

The current study sought to extend prior research examining potential risk factors for the development of callous-unemotional traits by estimating the extent to which child maltreatment related to callous-unemotional traits in children and adolescents.

PARTICIPANTS

To do so, the study uses a longitudinal sample of 4579 male and female youths drawn from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW I) across four waves of data. Data collection ran from November 1999 to December 2006.

METHODS

A series of multilevel random-effects models were estimated in order to examine the association between child maltreatment and callous-unemotional traits.

RESULTS

The results of the analyses revealed a significant association between child maltreatment and callous-unemotional traits across all the models. Additionally, our models demonstrated that the association between child maltreatment and callous-unemotional traits may be dependent upon the biological sex of the individual with child maltreatment having a stronger effect on males than females (β = 0.15*).

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, our analyses lend support to prior research examining child maltreatment as a risk factor for the development of callous-unemotional traits in youth. We conclude by discussing the implications of our study and considerations for future research.

Mediating Effect of Dark Triad Personality Traits on the Relationship Between Parental Emotional Warmth and Aggression

Previous research has indicated that positive parenting practices, such as parental emotional warmth, are associated with less negative outcomes in children. These negative outcomes can present during adolescence and during emerging adulthood. One negative consequence can be aggression, a problematic outcome with its own myriad consequences. The current study aimed to examine the effect of parental emotional warmth on adolescent and young adult aggression and the mediating effect of Dark Triad personality traits (Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism) on this relationship. The sample included 530 Chinese student participants who completed an online questionnaire survey: 241 adolescents aged 15 to 18 years (M = 17.24, SD = 1.00) and 289 young adults aged 19 to 23 years (M = 20.12, SD = 1.03). The results revealed that the association between parental emotional warmth and aggression was fully mediated by Machiavellianism and psychopathy, and the mediating effects of Machiavellianism and psychopathy had no age differences between adolescents and young adults. These results may clinically suggest that paying attention to parental emotional warmth, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy in adolescents and young adults could yield a better understanding of their current and continuous functioning, especially for aggression.

Emotional and behavioural pathways to adolescent substance use and antisocial behaviour: results from the UK Millennium Cohort Study

This study examines the emotional and behavioural pathways to adolescent substance use and antisocial behaviour. Using a sample of 17,223 participants from the UK Millennium Cohort Study, we applied parallel-process growth mixture modelling on emotional and behavioural symptoms in those aged 3-14 and employed latent class analysis to identify patterns of substance use and antisocial behaviours at age 14. We then performed a multinomial regression analysis to explore the association between emotional and behavioural trajectories and patterns of adolescent substance use and antisocial behaviours, including sociodemographic, family, and maternal factors. We found five trajectories of emotional and behavioural symptoms and four classes of adolescence substance use and antisocial behaviour. Children and adolescents in the 'high externalising and internalising' and 'moderate externalising' trajectories were more likely to belong to any problematic behaviour class, especially the 'poly-substance use and antisocial behaviours' class. Inclusion in the 'moderate externalising and internalising (childhood limited)' class was associated with higher odds of belonging to the 'alcohol and tobacco' class. These associations remained significant after adjusting for important sociodemographic and contextual factors, such as maternal substance use, poverty, and parental status. Interventions on adolescent health promotion and risk behaviour prevention need to address the clustering of substance use and antisocial behaviour as well as the significant influence of early and chronic internalising and externalising symptoms on the aetiology of these behaviours.

Physical Abuse Explains Sex Differences in the Link Between Psychopathy and Aggression

Psychopathy has long been associated with aggression. However, few studies have looked at differences between men and women. Studies that do exist demonstrate that psychopathy differentially relates to aggression in men and women and indicate that environmental factors may play a significant role in influencing these associations. A key environmental factor is a history of lifetime physical abuse (LPA), which has been linked to aggressive behavior in both men and women. The aim of the present study was to test if psychopathy differentially predicted physical, verbal, and indirect aggression in men and women, and if these associations were moderated by LPA. In a large community sample of men (n = 369) and women (n = 204), we assessed the 4-facet model of psychopathy (Interpersonal, Affective, Lifestyle, Antisocial) with the Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version, LPA with the Addiction Severity Index, and self-report aggression with the Aggression Questionnaire. Results revealed sex differences and similarities. Physical aggression was associated with the affective facet of psychopathy in both men and women, though in different directions based on the moderating effects of LPA. Verbal aggression was associated with higher antisocial facet scores and LPA for men and not women. Finally, indirect aggression was associated with the antisocial facet of psychopathy for men, and the interpersonal facet for women, and these associations were not moderated by LPA. In women, low antisocial facet scores and no LPA were found to be protective for indirect aggression. These results show that LPA and psychopathy generally increase the risk of aggression, but the interaction between LPA and psychopathy differentiates the risk of aggression forms for men and women. These sex differences highlight the need for female-responsive interventions to target sex-specific risk factors for aggressive behavior.

General Criminality as a Marker of Heterogeneity in Domestically Violent Men: Differences in Trauma History, Psychopathology, Neurocognitive Functioning, and Psychophysiology

This study examined whether involvement in general criminal behavior was a useful marker of critical historic, psychological, and cognitive aspects of heterogeneity in domestically violent men. Two subgroups of domestically violent men, those with (n = 56) and without (n = 54) a history of criminal involvement, were compared with a group of nonviolent men (n = 82) on internalizing psychopathology, substance abuse, maltreatment in the family of origin, cognitive and executive functioning, and psychophysiological factors. Results found that domestically violent criminal men scored higher than the other two groups on a number of measures including history of childhood violence exposure, childhood externalizing behavior, and adult internalizing psychopathology. No differences were found on their psychophysiological reactivity and cognitive performance. The domestically violent noncriminal group and the comparison group were largely similar on study variables with the exception of education and substance use. Results suggest that general theories of antisocial behavior may be relevant and helpful for understanding domestically violent and criminally involved batterers, whereas social and family violence theories may be of greater relevance to noncriminally involved batterers. Implications of these results for intervention are considered.

The Triarchic Model of Psychopathy and Antisocial Behavior: Results From an Offender Population With Personality Disorder

The triarchic model posits that psychopathy is a combination of phenotypes related to boldness, meanness, and disinhibition. We examined how each of these phenotypes of psychopathy related to past violence and antisocial behavior and to behavior within the prison. The sample consisted of men (n = 108) with a history of serious offending and a diagnosis of personality disorder at the point of admission to a prison serving as a therapeutic community. We took four indices of violence and antisocial behavior, (a) self-report of lifetime proactive and reaction aggression, (b) criminal convictions prior to admission to the prison, (c) exclusion from the prison within 12 months due to rule breaking, and (d) behavior within the first 12 months of admission to the unit. The constructs of the triarchic model, as assessed by the triarchic psychopathy measure (TriPM), were strong predictors of self-reported aggression, with disinhibition being related to both proactive and reactive aggression, whereas boldness was related to proactive aggression alone. Past criminal convictions were also associated with disinhibition, except for convictions for violent behavior. Both meanness and disinhibition were predictive of exclusion from the prison within 12 months for rule-breaking behavior and of aggressive behavior within the prison. The triarchic model of psychopathy is associated with past antisocial behavior and is predictive of antisocial behaviors within the prison, and the different constructs of the triarchic model are associated with different manifestations of antisocial behavior. The TriPM holds great promise for improved assessment and enhanced understanding of psychopathic personality within institutions and can facilitate offender management via improved phenotypic analysis of boldness, meanness, and disinhibition.

Understanding international perceptions of the severity of harmful content online

Online social media platforms constantly struggle with harmful content such as misinformation and violence, but how to effectively moderate and prioritize such content for billions of global users with different backgrounds and values presents a challenge. Through an international survey with 1,696 internet users across 8 different countries across the world, this empirical study examines how international users perceive harmful content online and the similarities and differences in their perceptions. We found that across countries, the perceived severity consistently followed an exponential growth as the harmful content became more severe, but what harmful content were perceived as more or less severe varied significantly. Our results challenge platform content moderation’s status quo of using a one-size-fits-all approach to govern international users, and provide guidance on how platforms may wish to prioritize and customize their moderation of harmful content.

The Link between Individual Personality Traits and Criminality: A Systematic Review

In addition to social and environmental factors, individual personality traits have intricately linked with maladaptive behaviour. Thus, the purpose of this article was to review the link between individual personality traits and criminality. A systematic review was conducted to obtain information regarding the link between individual personality traits with criminal behaviour in the Sage, Web of Science, APA PsycNet, Wiley Online Library, and PubMed databases. The results indicate that individual personality traits that contribute towards criminality are (i) psychopathy; (ii) low self-control; and (iii) difficult temperament. As an overall impact, the review is expected to provide in-depth understanding of the link between individual personality traits and criminality; hence, greater consideration will be given to the dimension of personality as a notable risk factor of criminal behaviour.

Investigating Sex-Related Moderation Effects and Mediation Effects of Self-Control on Delinquency Among Portuguese Youth

Self-control refers to the ability to override impulses and behave in accordance with societal norms. Deficits in self-control are strongly associated with conduct problems, externalizing disorders, crime, and violence. The main aim of the present study is to investigate possible moderation and mediation effects related to self-control. A school sample of male (n = 257, M = 15.97 years, SD = .98 years) and female (n = 213, M = 15.79 years, SD = 1.03 years) youth from Portugal agreed to participate. Moderation analysis revealed that sex moderates the relationship between self-control and aggression, conduct disorder symptoms, and self-reported delinquency. Mediation analysis revealed that self-control mediates the relations between both triarchic psychopathic traits and dark triad traits, and the self-reported juvenile delinquency outcome. The findings suggest that self-control exerts significant effects on the criminal/antisocial-related variables examined among Portuguese youth.

Maternal and paternal psychological control and adolescents' negative adjustment: A dyadic longitudinal study in three countries

Psychological Control (PC) interferes with autonomy-related processes in adolescence and has a negative impact on adolescents’ development related to internalizing and externalizing problems. Several scholars suggested that PC can be used differently by mothers and fathers. However, these differences are still understudied and mainly grounded on maternal and/or adolescents’ perspectives, leading to potentially incomplete inferences on the effects of PC. The present study extends previous research on PC in two directions. First, we tested the dyadic and cumulative effects of maternal and paternal PC on adolescents’ antisocial behaviors and anxious-depressive symptoms. Secondly, we explored the cross-cultural generalizability of these associations in three countries: Italy, Colombia, and USA. Participants included 376 families with data from three consecutive years (T1, adolescents’ age = 13.70). Mothers’ and fathers’ reports of PC and youth’s reports of antisocial and internalizing behaviors were assessed. Using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) we found that maternal PC predicted adolescents’ reported antisocial behaviors whereas paternal PC predicted lower anxious-depressed symptoms. Comparisons across countries evidenced the cross-cultural invariance of the longitudinal APIM across Italy, Colombia, and USA. The practical implications of these results are discussed.

Comparison of Emotional Dispositions Between Street Gang and Non-Gang Prisoners

Effectively recognizing, identifying, and utilizing emotional stimuli is essential for successful social interactions, with deficits in these robustly identified as risk factors for offending. Psychological understanding of street gang membership is limited, particularly surrounding emotional dispositions distinguishing street gang from non-gang offenders. This study examined how street gang members compare with non-gang offenders on trait emotional intelligence (TEI), antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), callous-unemotional traits, anger rumination, and aggression. Recruited through volunteer sampling, participants included 73 (44 street gang and 29 non-gang) male offenders incarcerated at a U.K. Category C prison. Participants completed seven questionnaires assessing emotional dispositions, social desirability, and, consistent with the Eurogang definition, street gang membership. To compare participants' demographics and identify the predictors of street gang membership, chi-square and discriminant function analyses were conducted. With a significant discriminant function, Λ = .80, χ²(6) = 14.96, p = .021, high levels of ASPD, anger rumination, and aggression and low levels of TEI predict street gang membership. Compared with non-gang prisoners, street gang prisoners did not differ on callous-unemotional traits, age, or ethnicity. Results suggest that, compared with non-gang prisoners, street gang members were more likely to possess dysfunctional emotional dispositions. Findings from this research have important implications in terms of developing interventions for street gang membership. Specifically, this research supports the need for gang-specific early intervention and prevention programs, with emotion-focused components. Ideas for future research are discussed, including the identification of further sociocognitive, personality, and emotional traits distinguishing street gang from non-gang offenders.

Role of Callous and Unemotional (CU) Traits on the Development of Youth with Behavioral Disorders: A Systematic Review

Numerous studies have shown that youth with behavioral disorders (BD) present an increased risk for developing severe and persistent antisocial behaviors in adulthood. Retrospective research notes that not all children and adolescents follow a negative trajectory and explains this heterogeneity in particular by the severity of CU traits. Our study examines how these traits affect the functioning of children and adolescents with BD. Method: A systematic literature review conducted through various databases and using different keywords made it possible to analyze 52 studies published from 2015 to 2020 that measured the bidirectional effects of CU traits on the functioning of young. Results: Out of the 52 studies, 47 analyzed links between CU traits and neurobiological or mental health, 20 examined family and school contexts, eight focused on social adjustment, 10 on social interactions and 19 measured links with cognitive functioning, especially executive functions. Conclusion: Consistent with previous recommendations in the field, our findings emphasize the importance of assessing the presence of UC traits in early childhood to prevent the emergence of comorbid disorders and to target multimodal (early) interventions to influence the life trajectories of youth with high CU traits.

Altered power spectra in antisocial males during rest as a function of cocaine dependence: A network analysis

Abnormalities in the spectral power of offenders' neural oscillations have been noted within select Resting-State Networks (RSNs); however, no study has yet evaluated the influence of cocaine dependence, drug use severity, and psychopathic traits on these abnormalities. To this end, the present study compared rest-related power spectral characteristics between two groups of offenders (with and without a DSM-IV-TR cocaine-dependence diagnosis) and a non-offender control group. Results indicated that both offender groups presented with lower low frequency power ratio (LFPR) scores (i.e. across all RSNs) than non-offenders. These differences in LFPR scores were due to both higher high-frequency power (0.15-0.25 Hz; within seven (in non-dependent offenders) and five (in cocaine-dependent offenders) of eight investigated networks) and decreased low-frequency power (0.01-0.10 Hz; within six (in non-dependent offenders) and one (in cocaine-dependent offenders) of eight investigated networks) compared to non-offenders. Thus, both cocaine-dependent and non-dependent offenders displayed abnormal neural oscillations, suggesting that these oscillatory abnormalities could exist as neurobiological features associated with offender status. Offenders' LFPR levels correlated with lifetime years of cocaine use, but not with the level of psychopathic traits. These findings supplement our knowledge regarding the influence of substance use on resting-state activity in offenders; moreover, they provide further indication of the importance of evaluating shared/unique variance associated with drug use and pyschopathic personality traits.

The Relationship between Dark Triad Personality Traits and Sexting Behaviors among Adolescents and Young Adults across 11 Countries

Background: Sexting is an increasingly common phenomenon among adolescents and young adults. Some studies have investigated the role of personality traits in different sexting behaviors within mainstream personality taxonomies like Big Five and HEXACO. However, very few studies have investigated the role of maladaptive personality factors in sexting. Therefore, the present study investigated the relationship between Dark Triad Personality Traits and experimental (i.e., sharing own sexts), risky (i.e., sexting under substance use and with strangers), and aggravated sexting (i.e., non-consensual sexting and sexting under pressure) across 11 countries. Methods: An online survey was completed by 6093 participants (Mage = 20.35; SDage = 3.63) from 11 different countries which covered four continents (Europe, Asia, Africa, and America). Participants completed the Sexting Behaviors Questionnaire and the 12-item Dark Triad Dirty Dozen scale. Results: Hierarchical regression analyses showed that sharing own sexts was positively predicted by Machiavellianism and Narcissism. Both risky and aggravated sexting were positively predicted by Machiavellianism and Psychopathy. Conclusions: The present study provided empirical evidence that different sexting behaviors were predicted by Dark Triad Personality Traits, showing a relevant role of Machiavellianism in all kinds of investigated sexting behaviors. Research, clinical, and education implications for prevention programs are discussed.

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.

Antisocial Personality Disorder in Bipolar Disorder: A Systematic Review

Background and Objectives: Bipolar Disorder (BD) is a severe psychiatric disorder that worsens quality of life and functional impairment. Personality disorders (PDs), in particular Cluster B personality, have a high incidence among BD patients and is considered a poor prognostic factor. The study of this co-morbidity represents an important clinical and diagnostic challenge in psychiatry. Particularly, clinical overlap has been shown between antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and BD that could worsen the course of both disorders. We aimed to detect the frequency of ASPD in bipolar patients with greater accuracy and the impact of ASPD on the clinical course of BD. Materials and Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE and the Cochrane Library through December 2020 without language or time restriction, according to PRISMA statement guidelines. Results: Initially, 3203 items were identified. After duplicates or irrelevant paper deletion, 17 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. ASPD was more frequent among BD patients, especially in BD type I. BD patients with ASPD as a comorbidity seemed to have early onset, higher number and more severe affective episodes, higher levels of aggressive and impulsive behaviors, suicidality and poor clinical outcome. ASPD symptoms in BD seem to be associated with a frequent comorbidity with addictive disorders (cocaine and alcohol) and criminal behaviors, probably due to a shared impulsivity core feature. Conclusions: Considering the shared symptoms such as impulsive and dangerous behaviors, in patients with only one disease, misdiagnosis is a common phenomenon due to the overlapping symptoms of ASPD and BD. It may be useful to recognize the co-occurrence of the disorders and better characterize the patient with ASPD and BD evaluating all dysfunctional aspects and their influence on core symptoms.

Psychopathy and Intimate Partner Violence

Several studies found that psychopathy is an important predictor of criminal behavior in general and of intimate partner violence in particular. However, these conclusions are often based on scales with less well-established validity, and some inconsistent results have emerged with regard to the contribution of specific psychopathic facets to intimate partner violence. In a sample of 152 batterers from Portugal aged between 22 and 70 years old, we examined whether Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) total scores and the four facets (scored based on a semistructured interview and on file information) predicted the frequency of intimate partner violence. Two separate linear regression analyses were conducted controlling for criminal variables. PCL-R total scores positively predicted intimate partner violence frequency, above and beyond the criminal variables. As for the four facets, only the PCL-R affective facet held a significant effect in predicting intimate partner violence frequency after controlling for criminal variables. These results support the inclusion of psychopathy in risk assessments and treatment of perpetrators of intimate partner violence, particularly with regard to the affective deficits of the construct.