ScholarWorks@UNO

Group Differences in the Prediction of Psychopathy on a Dimensional Level

This study explored the association between psychopathy and psychopathology in juvenile sex offenders (JSOs) and juvenile non-sexual offenders (JDs). Four dimensions of psychopathy were examined: Interpersonal (F1), Affective (F2), Lifestyle (F3), and Antisocial (F4). We hypothesized positive associations between externalizing symptoms and all dimensions of psychopathy for both the JDs and JSOs. We also expected group differences in the associations between internalizing psychopathology and the F1 and F2 dimensions of psychopathy. The K-SADS-PL was used to measure internalizing symptoms such as depression, anxiety, OCD, and PTSD, and externalizing symptoms such as ADHD, ODD, and CD. The PCL:YV was used to calculate psychopathy scores. Linear regression analyses indicated that externalizing symptoms significantly predicted total PCL:YV scores (β=.683, p<.001 for JSOs and β=.511, p<.001 for JDs) and all four dimensions of psychopathy in the JSO group (F1 β=.424, p < .001; F2 β=.386, p < .001; F3 β=.633, p < .001; F4 β=.621, p < .001) and the JD group (F1 β=.369, p < .001; F2 β=.266, p < .001; F3β=.441, p < .001; F4 β=.403, p < .001). Internalizing symptoms did not significantly predict PCL:YV total scores for either group; but they were a significant negative predictor of psychopathy exclusively in the JSO group (β=-.130, p = .001). Results indicate that JSOs experiencing internalizing psychopathology are unlikely to exhibit the characteristic features of the F2 dimension, such as callous-unemotional behavior, shallow affect, or lack of remorse/empathy and this may act as a protective factor for the Affective dimension of psychopathy.