The purpose of this study was to incorporate attachment theory and psychopathy into a transactional model to explain the development of disruptive behavior disorders in children. The model tested in this study proposed two broad pathways leading to the development of disruptive behavior disorders. Each pathway was characterized by an atrisk child temperament, negative reactivity and psychopathy, which when embedded in an at-risk environment, would result in conduct problems. Hyperactivity and negative life events were hypothesized to be broad band risk factors for both pathways. The first pathway, characterized by callous-unemotional traits (CU), was hypothesized to be positively associated with thrill seeking behavior and proactive aggression in the child, and insecure attachment in the caregiver. A second pathway, characterized by child negative reactivity, was hypothesized to be positively associated with reactive aggression in the child and disorganized attachment in the caregiver. Data was collected from 48 low income caregiver/child dyads. Children were between the ages of 6 and 12 (mean age=9.3, SD=1.85), and received services from a state mental health clinic. A series of hierarchical regression analyses were performed to evaluate the relationship between the predictor variables and conduct problems. A primary finding was an extremely strong positive correlation between CU traits and conduct problems. Also, several distinct differences were found between groups of children low and high on CU traits. For those children low on CU traits, thrill seeking behaviors were positively associated with conduct problems, while negative life events, attachment insecurity, and attachment disorganization were all negatively associated with conduct problems. For the children high on CU traits, thrill seeking and attachment insecurity had no meaningful impact on conduct problems, while negative life events and attachment disorganization were positively associated with conduct problems. Hyperactivity, proactive aggression, reactive aggression, and negative reactivity were all broad risk factors for conduct problems in this study. The findings of this study suggest that several developmental pathways do exist for children who develop conduct problems, and that future research should utilize developmental models that include a number of broad risk factors, as well as factors that may be specific to certain developmental pathways.

Although its consequences can be devastating, revenge is surprisingly understudied. In this dissertation, I address several key questions. For example, are the factors that trigger revenge the same across different individuals? What are the psychological processes that facilitate revenge? Does revenge have any adaptive value? These issues were addressed with a series of three studies. Study 1 explored whether personality predictors of self-reported revenge generalize across four specific transgressions. Results indicated that narcissists were only vengeful after social rejection whereas psychopaths and neurotics tended to be vengeful across transgressions. Study 2 expanded on these results by exploring trait-level vengeful fantasies and vengeful behaviors and the impact of a potential mediator, namely, anger rumination. Neuroticism was shown to be predictive of vengeful fantasies: This association was entirely mediated by anger rumination. Psychopathy predicted vengeful behavior: This association was partially mediated by vengeful fantasies. Study 3 involved the analysis of participants' personal anecdotes about how they reacted to transgressions against them. Coded variables included revenge as well as 10 other coping behaviors: These 11 predictors were then evaluated with respect to their impact on both immediate relief and long-term recovery. Although the revenge option fostered immediate relief, it did not benefit long-term recovery. Only one coping behavior (meaning-making) actually fostered recovery. The contributions and limitations of this research plus suggestions for future studies are discussed.

Although its consequences can be devastating, revenge is surprisingly understudied. In this dissertation, I address several key questions. For example, are the factors that trigger revenge the same across different individuals? What are the psychological processes that facilitate revenge? Does revenge have any adaptive value? These issues were addressed with a series of three studies. Study 1 explored whether personality predictors of self-reported revenge generalize across four specific transgressions. Results indicated that narcissists were only vengeful after social rejection whereas psychopaths and neurotics tended to be vengeful across transgressions. Study 2 expanded on these results by exploring trait-level vengeful fantasies and vengeful behaviors and the impact of a potential mediator, namely, anger rumination. Neuroticism was shown to be predictive of vengeful fantasies: This association was entirely mediated by anger rumination. Psychopathy predicted vengeful behavior: This association was partially mediated by vengeful fantasies. Study 3 involved the analysis of participants' personal anecdotes about how they reacted to transgressions against them. Coded variables included revenge as well as 10 other coping behaviors: These 11 predictors were then evaluated with respect to their impact on both immediate relief and long-term recovery. Although the revenge option fostered immediate relief, it did not benefit long-term recovery. Only one coping behavior (meaning-making) actually fostered recovery. The contributions and limitations of this research plus suggestions for future studies are discussed.

Although its consequences can be devastating, revenge is surprisingly understudied. In this dissertation, I address several key questions. For example, are the factors that trigger revenge the same across different individuals? What are the psychological processes that facilitate revenge? Does revenge have any adaptive value? These issues were addressed with a series of three studies. Study 1 explored whether personality predictors of self-reported revenge generalize across four specific transgressions. Results indicated that narcissists were only vengeful after social rejection whereas psychopaths and neurotics tended to be vengeful across transgressions. Study 2 expanded on these results by exploring trait-level vengeful fantasies and vengeful behaviors and the impact of a potential mediator, namely, anger rumination. Neuroticism was shown to be predictive of vengeful fantasies: This association was entirely mediated by anger rumination. Psychopathy predicted vengeful behavior: This association was partially mediated by vengeful fantasies. Study 3 involved the analysis of participants' personal anecdotes about how they reacted to transgressions against them. Coded variables included revenge as well as 10 other coping behaviors: These 11 predictors were then evaluated with respect to their impact on both immediate relief and long-term recovery. Although the revenge option fostered immediate relief, it did not benefit long-term recovery. Only one coping behavior (meaning-making) actually fostered recovery. The contributions and limitations of this research plus suggestions for future studies are discussed. / Arts, Faculty of / Psychology, Department of / Graduate

Empathy deficiency is considered a cardinal trait associated with psychopathy. This study examined empathy as cognitive and affective constructs during a mood task meant to evoke happiness and sadness. Fifty-two undergraduate students organized in same-gender pairs (17 female pairs and 9 male pairs) completed measures of empathy, psychopathy, social desirability, social anxiety, demographics and health. Participants engaged in a social mood task where one individual spoke about happy or sad events in the past year while the other individual listened. The procedure incorporated a within-subjects design, so that the participant order switched so each participant would listen and speak about both happy and sad events. Throughout the procedure, cardiac measures were collected through an electrode strap. Psychopathic traits was related to reductions in heart rate variability when listening to other participants discuss sad events, and this was most pronounced in those who also had low empathy scores. Trait cognitive empathy was unrelated to cardiac changes or to state cognitive empathy. Participants' own heart rate and heart rate variability were the only predictors of heart rate and heart rate variability during the mood induction procedures, while the other participant's heart rate and heart rate variability were not. Additionally, psychopathic traits did not moderate this relationship. Results are discussed in terms of how vagal withdrawal may be related to psychopathy and low empathy, especially when listening to sad events. / Ph. D.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the fastest growing mental disorders in the United States. More children are being diagnosed than ever before, and many of these individuals are finding that at least one other emotional, behavioral, or mental disorder often accompanies ADHD (including psychopathy). The number of individuals in the prison population with both ADHD and psychopathy is on the rise. Because of these increases, including what is being seen in the prison population, this study aimed to identify if there was a relationship between ADHD and psychopathy in the general population, and if there were specific maternal prenatal behaviors that may increase the likelihood of this relationship. This study used a survey composed of both the Brown Attention-Deficit Disorder Scales assessment, the Carlson Psychological Survey assessment, and additional demographic questions to gather data. Social media groups specific to ADHD were used to recruit a convenience sample of 88 participants who endorsed symptoms of ADHD. A quantitative analysis was conducted to explore the degree of the relationship between ADHD and psychopathy in the general population who endorsed symptoms of ADHD. Additionally, this study used a multiple linear regression to determine if maternal nicotine, alcohol, or drug consumption had any effect on the degree of this relationship. Results indicated that there was not a statistically significant relationship between ADHD and psychopathy in the general population, unlike what is seen in the prison population. However, even though the finding were not statistically significant, there are still implications for future research and evidence that the social stigma around ADHD and delinquent behaviors is inaccurate.

The current study was the first of its kind to examine the relationship between psychopathy and boredom. Participants were 233 psychology students, all of whom completed the Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised (PPI-R) and the Boredom Proneness Scale (BPS), both of which demonstrate multidimensional structures. Factor analysis of the BPS revealed a fouractor structure, and three independent factors have been demonstrated in the PPI-R. A multiple regression analysis confirmed the hypothesized relationships, revealing large and statistically significant relationships between Fearless Dominance of the PPI-R and Internal Boredom, as well as between Self-Centered Impulsivity of the PPI-R and External Boredom. Additional statistically and clinically significant relationships are discussed. These results suggest that boredom plays a significant role in the psychopathy personality process.

Antisocial behaviors (AB), which place an enormous burden on society, are committed by a heterogeneous population, including psychopaths (Poythress et al., 2010). Psychopathy denotes a more serious and entrenched pattern of AB (Hare, 1996) and appears to be a heterogeneous construct as well. In fact, Primary and Secondary psychopathic variants are consistently identified in a variety of samples using person-centered analysis (Drislane et al., 2014; Gill & Stickle, 2016). Both Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (Gray & McNaughton, 2000) and the Triarchic Model of Psychopathy (Patrick, Fowles, & Krueger, 2009) provide useful frameworks to understand the etiology of the psychopathic variants. The current study identified Primary and Secondary Trait groups in a sample of criminally justice involved adults (N = 377), which differed on measures of negative emotionality. However, the Psychopathic trait groups did not differ on the boldness or meanness domains of the Triarchic Model (Patrick, Fowles & Kreuger). The disinhibition domain of the Triarchic model was significantly associated with aggression, and this association was partially mediated by levels of anxiety. Anxiety is an important dimension to assess in research, evaluation, and treatment of individuals with high levels of antisocial behavior. Keywords: Psychopathy, variants, Triarchic, measurement, antisocial behavior

Antisocial behaviors (AB), which place an enormous burden on society, are committed by a heterogeneous population, including psychopaths (Poythress et al., 2010). Psychopathy denotes a more serious and entrenched pattern of AB (Hare, 1996) and appears to be a heterogeneous construct as well. In fact, Primary and Secondary psychopathic variants are consistently identified in a variety of samples using person-centered analysis (Drislane et al., 2014; Gill & Stickle, 2016). Both Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (Gray & McNaughton, 2000) and the Triarchic Model of Psychopathy (Patrick, Fowles, & Krueger, 2009) provide useful frameworks to understand the etiology of the psychopathic variants. The current study identified Primary and Secondary Trait groups in a sample of criminally justice involved adults (N = 377), which differed on measures of negative emotionality. However, the Psychopathic trait groups did not differ on the boldness or meanness domains of the Triarchic Model (Patrick, Fowles & Kreuger). The disinhibition domain of the Triarchic model was significantly associated with aggression, and this association was partially mediated by levels of anxiety. Anxiety is an important dimension to assess in research, evaluation, and treatment of individuals with high levels of antisocial behavior. Keywords: Psychopathy, variants, Triarchic, measurement, antisocial behavior

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