Assessing the stability of psychopathic traits: Adolescent outcomes in a six-year follow-up

• Laura López Romero ^[1] ; Estrella Romero Triñanes ^[1] ; Paula Villar Torres ^[1]
  1. [1] Universidade de Santiago de Compostela

     Universidade de Santiago de Compostela

     Santiago de Compostela, España

     
• Localización: The Spanish Journal of Psychology, ISSN 1138-7416, Vol. 17, 2014, págs. 1-11
• Idioma: inglés
• DOI: 10.1017/sjp.2014.93
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo
• Dialnet Métricas: 1 Cita
• Resumen

  • Previous research has shown the relevance of psychopathic traits as predictors of severe and persistent antisocial behavior. Given that personality traits refer to developmental constructs, the main purposes of this study were to analyze the stability of psychopathic traits from childhood to adolescence, and to examine differential outcomes derived from distinctive pathways of stability and change. Data was collected in a Spanish sample of 138 children aged 6�11 at the onset of the study (T1), and 12�17 in the subsequent follow-up conducted 6 years later (T2). The stability of psychopathic traits was assessed in terms of differential continuity (rank-order), absolute stability (mean-level) and individual-level change (Reliable Change Index). Results confirmed that psychopathic traits remained moderately to highly stable from childhood to adolescence (p < .001). There were, however, some differences depending on the informant (parents vs. teachers) and the particular assessment method used (rank order vs. mean-level and RCI). A stable high and an increasing developmental pattern of psychopathic traits were related with severe adolescent behavioral and psychosocial problems (?² = .10�.36). These results support the usefulness of youth psychopathic personality as a developmental construct, and highlight its relevance as a predictor of long-lasting maladjustment, with relevant implications in terms of prevention and treatment.

• Referencias bibliográficas
  • Achenbach T. M. (1991a). Manual for the Child Behavior Checklist and 1991 profle. Burlington, Canada: University of Vermont.
  • Achenbach T. M. (1991b). Manual for the Teacher's Report Form and 1991 Profle. Burlington, Canada: University of Vermont.
  • Andershed H. (2010). Stability and change of psychopathic traits: What do we know? In R. T. Salekin & D. T. Lynam (Eds.), Handbook of...
  • American Psychiatric Association. (2000). The diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th Ed., Rev.). Washington, DC: APA.
  • American Psychiatric Association. (2013). The diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th Ed.). Washington, DC: APA.
  • Baardewijk Y. V., Vermeiren R., Stegge H., & Doreleijers T. (2011). Self-reported psychopathic traits in children: Their stability and...
  • Barry T. D., Barry C. T., Deming A. M., & Lochman J. E. (2008). Stability of psychopathic characteristics in childhood: The infuence of...
  • Branje S. J. T., van Lieshout C. F. M., & Gerris J. R. M. (2007). Big fve personality development in adolescence and adulthood. European...
  • Brislin R. W. (1970). Back-translation for cross-cultural research. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 1, 185-216. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/135910457000100301
  • Caldwell M. F., McCormick D., Wolfe J., & Umstead D. (2012). Treatment-related changes in psychopathy features and behavior in adolescent...
  • Caldwell M., Skeem J. L., Salekin R. T., & Van Rybroek G. (2006). Treatment response of adolescents offenders with psychopathy features:...
  • Christensen L., & Mendoza J. L. (1986). A method of assessing change in a single subject: An alteration of the RC index. Behavior Therapy,...
  • Cohen J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd Ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
  • Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group (1995). Social Competence Scale (Parent Version). University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University.
  • Conners C. K. (1997). Conners Rating Scales-Revised. Toronto, Canada: Multi-Health System.
  • De Fruyt F. D., Bartels M., Van Leeuwen K. G., De Clercq B., Decuyper M., & Mervielde I. (2006). Five types of personality continuity...
  • DeLisi M., Vaughn M., Beaver K. M., Wexler J., Barth A. E., & Fletcher J. M. (2011). Fleding psychopathy in the classroom: ADHD subtypes,...
  • Dodge K. A., & Coie J. D. (1987). Social information processing factors in reactive and proactive aggression in children's peer groups....
  • Edens J. F., Skeem J. L., Cruise K. R., & Cauffman E. (2001). Assessment of "juvenile psychopathy" and its association with violence:...
  • Fontaine N. M. G., McCrory E. J., Boivin M., Mofftt T. E., & Viding E. (2011). Predictors and outcomes of joint trajectories of callous-unemotional...
  • Fontaine N. M. G., Rijsdijk F. V., McCrory E. J. P., & Viding E. (2010). Etiology of different developmental trajectories of callous-unemotional...
  • Fraley R. C., & Roberts B. W. (2005). Patterns of continuity: A dynamic model for conceptualizing the stability of individual differences...
  • Frick P. J., Barry C. T., & Kamphaus R. W. (2010). Clinical Assessment of child and adolescent personality and behavior. New York, NY:...
  • Frick P. J., & Hare R. D. (2001). Antisocial process screening device. Toronto, Canada: Multi-Health Systems.
  • Frick P. J., Kimonis E. R., Dandreaux D. M., & Farell J. M. (2003). The 4-year stability of psychopathic traits in non-referred youth....
  • Frick P. J., Ray J. V., Thornton L. C., & Kahn R. E. (2013). Can callous-unemotional traits enhance the understanding, diagnosis, and...
  • Haas S., Waschbusch D., Pelham W., King S., Andrade B., & Carrey N. (2011). Treatment response in CP/ADHD children with callous/unemotional...
  • Harris G. T., & Rice M. E. (2006). Treatment of psychopathy: A review of empirical fndings. In C. Patrick (Ed.), Handbook of psychopathy...
  • Herpers P. C. M., Rommelse N. N. J., Bons D. M. A., Buitelaar J. K., & Scheepers F. E. (2012). Callous-unemotional traits as a cross-disorders...
  • Jacobson N. S., & Truax P. (1991). Clinical signifcance: A statistical approach to defning meaningful change in psychotherapy research....
  • López-Romero L., Romero E., & Luengo M. A. (2012). Disentangling the role of psychopathic traits and externalizing behavior in predicting...
  • Lynam D. R. (1997). Pursuing the psychopath: Capturing the fedgling psychopath in a nomological net. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 106,...
  • Lynam D. R., Caspi A., Mofftt T. E., Loeber R., & Stouthamer-Loeber M. (2007). Longitudinal evidence that psychopathy scores in early...
  • Lynam D. R., Charnigo R., Mofftt T. E., Raine A., Loeber R., & Stouthamer-Loeber M. (2009). The stability of psychopathy across adolescence....
  • Lynam D. R., & Gudonis L. (2005). The development of psychopathy. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 1, 381-407. http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.1.102803.144019
  • Maassen G. H. (2001). The unreliable change of reliable change indices. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 39, 495-498. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7967(00)00029-2
  • Marsee M. A., & Frick P. J. (2010). Callous unemotional traits and aggression in youth. In A. William & L. Elizabeth (Eds.), Emotions,...
  • McCrae R. R., Costa P. T., Terracciano A., Parker W. D., Mills C. J., De Fruyt F., & Mervielde I. (2002). Personality trait development...
  • McDonald R., Dodson M. C., Rosenfeld D., & Jouriles E. N. (2011). Effects of a parenting intervention on features of psychopathy in children....
  • McMahon R. J., Witkiewitz K., & Kotler J. S. (2010). Predictive validity of callous-unemotional traits measured in early adolescence with...
  • Moya J., Viruela S., Mezquita L., Villa H., Ibáñez M. I., & Ortet G. (2013). Stability and change of personality in adolescents: A 4-year...
  • Muñoz L. C., & Frick P. J. (2007). The reliability, stability, and predictive utility of the self-report version of the Antisocial Process...
  • Obradović J., Pardini D. A., Long J. D., & Loeber R. (2007). Measuring interpersonal callousness in boys from childhood to adolescence:...
  • Pardini D. A., Lochman J. E., & Powell N. (2007). The development of callous-unemotional traits and antisocial behavior in children: Are...
  • Pardini D. A., & Loeber R. (2008). Interpersonal callousness trajectories across adolescence: Early social infuences and adult outcomes....
  • Parra A., & Oliva A. (2009). A longitudinal research on the development of emotional autonomy during adolescence. The Spanish Journal...
  • Ribeiro da Silva D., Rijo D., & Salekin R. T. (2012). Child and adolescent psychopathy: A state-of-the-art refection on the construct...
  • Roberts B. W., Caspi A., & Mofftt T. E. (2001). The kids are alright: Growth and stability in personality development from adolescence...
  • Roberts B. W., & DelVecchio W. F. (2000). The rank-order consistency of personality traits from childhood to old age: A quantitative review...
  • Roberts B. W., Wood D., & Caspi A. (2008). The development of personality traits in adulthood. In O. P. Jonh, R. W. Robins & L. A....
  • Robins R. W., Fraley C., Roberts B. W., & Trzesniewski K. (2001). A longitudinal study of personality change in young adulthood. Journal...
  • Romero E. (2001). El constructo psicopatía en la infancia y adolescencia: Del trastorno de conducta a la personalidad antisocial [The construct...
  • Romero E., Luengo M. A., Gómez-Fraguela J. A., Sobral J., & Villar P. (2005). Evaluación de la psicopatía infanto-juvenil: Estudio en...
  • Rowe R., Maughan B., Moran P., Ford T., Briskman J., & Goodman R. (2010). The role of callous-unemotional traits in the diagnosis of conduct...
  • Rutherford M., Cacciola J. S., Alterman A. I., McKay J. R., & Cook T. G. (1999). The 2-year test-retest reliability of the Psychopathy...
  • Salekin R. T. (2010). Treatment of child and adolescent psychopathy: Focusing on change. In R. T. Salekin, & D. T Lynam. (Eds.), Handbook...
  • Salekin R. T., & Lochman J. E. (2008). Child and adolescent psychopathy: The search for protective factors. Criminal Justice and Behavior,...
  • Salekin R. T., Rosenbaum J., & Lee Z. (2008). Child and adolescent psychopathy: Stability and change. Psychiatry, Psychology and Law,...
  • Seagrave D., & Grisso T. (2002). Adolescent development and the measurement of juvenile psychopathy. Law and Human Behavior, 26, 219-239....
  • Somech L. Y., & Elizur Y. (2012). Promoting self-regulation and cooperation in pre-kindergarten children with conduct problems: A randomized...
  • Waller R., Gardner F., Hyde L. W., Shaw D. S., Dishion T. J., & Wilson M. N. (2012). Do harsh and positive parenting predict parent reports...
  • Willoughby M. T., Waschbusch D. A., Moore G. A., & Propper C. B. (2011). Using the ASEBA to screen for callous-unemotional traits in early...