Can psychopaths change? An investigation of moderators of psychopathic traits.

• In Event: Mental Health and Psychopathic Traits

Abstract

Individuals with many psychopathic traits often come into contact with the criminal justice system at an early age and persist in their offending. Traditionally, it has been believed that psychopathic traits are not impacted by social factors. However, emerging research (e.g. Lynam et al., 2008; Pardini & Loeber, 2008) indicate otherwise. The current study analyzed the impact of factors such as SES, antisocial family and peers, negative parenting, and positive family functioning on the stability of psychopathic traits from childhood to middle-age. Analyses of four waves of data (age brackets 8-10, 12-14, 16-18, and age 48) from the Cambridge Study of Delinquent Development (CSDD; N=411) was conducted. A total of 65 interactions were tested through moderated regression, but only 8 were significant. The most consistent results were the impact of antisocial peers, antisocial family, and positive family functioning. It appears that the two former factors contributes to an increase in psychopathic traits, while the latter contributes to a decrease. Implications for interventions and crime prevention will be discussed.

Authors

• Henriette Bergstrom, Carleton University

• Adelle Forth, Carleton University

• David Philip Farrington, Cambridge University