Examining relations between psychopathology and psychopathy dimensions among adolescent female and male offenders

Abstract

Aim: This study was performed to investigate relations between psychopathology and psychopathy in adolescent female and male detainees. Method: We examined 91 male and 123 female adolescent detainees (aged 14–19) for psychopathology -using the Youth Self Report, the Overt Aggression Scale-Modified and a Conduct Disorder Self Report Scale- and for psychopathic dimensions using the psychopathy checklist youth version (PCL:YV). Based on a linear regression analysis we compared the specific associations between psychopathology and psychopathy in both male and female delinquent juveniles. Results: Our results revealed higher scores for externalizing behavior and psychopathic dimensions in delinquent males, and higher internalizing problem scores in delinquent females. Furthermore, we found a positive relationship between suicidal behavior and the psychopathy total score as well as the affective, the lifestyle and the antisocial dimension only in girls. No association was found for suicidal behavior in boys. Regarding anxious-depressive behavior, we found a negative relation to the psychopathy total score and to the affective psychopathy factor for the boys. Conclusion: Expectedly, the population of incarcerated adolescents exhibited a high prevalence of psychopathology. At the same time our results referred to meaningful gender-related differences with respect to associations with psychopathy. The gender-related differences in psychopathological symptoms could indicate varied subtypes of psychopathy in boys and girls

Sexually Coercive Tactics Used by University Students: A Clear Role for Primary Psychopathy

“…Thus, evidence suggests that psychopathy may be expressed differently amongst female offenders in comparison to their male counterparts (Forouzan & Cooke, 2005;Hamburger, Lilienfeld, & Hogben, 1996;Nicholls, Ogloff, Brink, & Spidel, 2005;Sevecke, Lehmkuhl, & Krischer, 2009;Vitale, Smith, Brinkley, & Newman, 2002). Finally, investigations to explore gender differences with regards to sexual aggression in psychopathic non-offenders are seemingly non-existent.…”

The relationships between triarchic psychopathic traits and value orientations in men and women

“…In line with that, it was found that psychopathy in men compared to women was more associated with antisocial behaviour (Strand & Belfrage, 2005), violence and criminal recidivism (Verona & Vitale, 2006), as well as with impulsivityrelated tendencies (e.g., difficulties resisting urges, sensation seeking) (Miller, Watts, & Jones, 2011). In contrast, psychopathy in women was associated with more fraud in criminal history, manipulative and self-destructive behaviour during therapy (de Vogel & Lancel, 2016), and internalizing symptoms such as depression (Sevecke, Lehmkuhl, & Krischer, 2009). There are also gender differences in values with females reporting lower hedonistic values (Abraham & Rahardjo, 2015).…”

Potential biomarkers in personality disorders: current state and future research

“…This condition is the result of an imbalance between stimulation and inhibition of different brain zones regarding a specific stimulus. In addition, current difficulties in approaching PD and their subtypes that constitute dimensions together with the differential expression of other comorbid syndromes and about which important clinical, neuropsychological, neurophysiological, biochemical and genetic differences are established (for example, age related with the severity of symptoms, the conduct disorder with or without child abuse and so on) (Evenden, 1999;Morgan & Lilienfeld, 2000;Sevecke, Lehmkuhl, & Krischer, 2008) suggest the necessity to advance in the taxonomy of theses syndromes through the use of several biomarkers that help to discriminate the subtype and establish a differential biological correlate. An exhaustive approximation to the spectrum of PD must include biomarkers that are co-related closely with impulsive subtypes, aggressive subtypes, and neurocognitive features associated with the patterns of int.j.psychol.res.…”