Adolescent psychopathy features: 6‐Year temporal stability and the prediction of externalizing symptoms during the transition to adulthood

Abstract

This study investigated the 6-year stability and predictive validity of adolescent psychopathy features during the transition to young adulthood. It represents one of the longest outcome studies of youth psychopathy to date, and therefore addresses a primary criticism of the research area (i.e., lack of demonstrated associations between child and adult psychopathy features). Recruited participants were 475 males enrolled in the Minnesota Twin and Family Study who had completed a research-based measure of psychopathy features consisting of separate emotional detachment (or affective) and antisocial tendencies (or behavioral) subscales. These psychopathy features and various externalizing symptoms (i.e., conduct problems, impulsivity, and substance use disorder) were assessed through rating scales and structured diagnostic interview at an intake assessment (ages 16-18) and 6-year follow-up. Consistent with prediction, adolescent psychopathy features displayed moderate stability across the transition from adolescence to adulthood [intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) = 0.40-0.41]. The antisocial tendencies subscale was uniquely related to most externalizing symptoms both in adolescence and in adulthood, whereas the emotional detachment subscale showed appropriate discriminant validity in its lack of association with externalizing symptoms. These findings suggest that psychopathy features are relatively stable from adolescence to adulthood and provide possible insights into the development and maintenance of externalizing difficulties during the adult transition.

Violence Exposure Mediates the Relation Between Callous-Unemotional Traits and Offending Patterns in Adolescents

“…Several studies find that CU traits are moderately stable from late childhood to early adolescence (Frick, Kimonis, Dandreaux, & Farrell, 2003;Munoz & Frick, 2007), and from adolescence to adulthood (Lynam, Caspi, Moffitt, Loeber, & Stouthamer-Loeber, 2007;Lynam, Miller, Vachon, Loeber, & Stouthamer-Loeber, 2009). Compared with youth low on CU traits, antisocial youth high on CU traits present with a particularly severe and stable pattern of conduct problems and delinquent behavior (Frick, Cornell, Barry, Bodin & Dane, 2003;Frick, Stickle, Dandreaux, Farrell, & Kimonis, 2005;Loney, Taylor, Butler, & Iacono, 2007), tend to show greater substance-related delinquency (Taylor & Lang, 2006), and show higher rates of aggression, and violent and sexual offending (Caputo, Frick, & Brodsky, 1999;Frick & White, 2008). In their review of 24 published studies, Frick and Dickens (2006) found consistent support for an association between CU traits and more severe conduct problems, delinquency, violence and aggression.…”

“…Importantly, these dispositional differences are also used to argue for divergent developmental processes relative to antisocial youth scoring low on CU traits and likely explain the more severe and persistent violence that youth high on CU traits display Loney et al, 2007).…”

Callous-Unemotional Traits and Their Implication for Understanding and Treating Aggressive and Violent Youths

“…There is also evidence to suggest that CU traits are relatively stable (r = 0.60) from age 17 years into early adulthood (age 24 years; Blonigen, Hicks, Krueger, Patrick, & Iacono, 2006) and relatively stable (ICC = 0.40) over 6 years from ages 16 to 18 years to ages 22 to 24 years (Loney, Taylor, Butler, & Iacono, 2007). Finally, two studies have shown that measures of CU traits assessed in childhood are significantly associated with measures of psychopathy in adulthood, even controlling for childhood conduct problems and other risk factors for antisocial behavior (Burke, Loeber, & Lahey, 2007;Loney et al, 2007).…”

Extending the Construct of Psychopathy to Youth: Implications for Understanding, Diagnosing, and Treating Antisocial Children and Adolescents

“…CU traits were relatively stable (r = 0.60) from late adolescence (age 17 years) into early adulthood (age 24 years) 57 and relatively stable (ICC = 0.40) over 6 years, from ages 16 to 18 years, to ages 22 to 24 years. 58 Further, 2 studies have shown that measures of CU traits assessed in childhood are significantly associated with measures of psychopathy in adulthood, even controlling for childhood conduct problems and other risk factors for antisocial behaviour. 59,60 Importantly, in one of these studies, 60 the 11-year stability (from age 13 to 24 years)…”