Psychopathic personality traits have been found to be associated with a variety of emotional deficits, including poor facial expression recognition, and reduced capacity to experience empathy. However, research has yielded conflicting results. This study investigated the relationship between psychopathic personality traits, facial emotion recognition, as well as empathy, in a community sample (n = 127), identified as having either low or elevated levels of psychopathic traits. Facial expression recognition was measured using the Hexagon task, which contains morphed facial expressions with two levels of expressivity. Psychopathic traits were assessed using the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory, and empathy was measured with the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Individuals with elevated psychopathic traits did not display lower accuracy in facial expression recognition compared to the low psychopathic traits group, rather the reverse was found.  Weak to strong negative correlations were found between psychopathic traits and empathy. Zero to weak correlations was found between psychopathic traits and expression recognition, as well as between empathy and expression recognition. The results are compared with similar studies, and implications for the study of psychopathy and emotion recognition are discussed.

<p>This study investigates if there is a scientific consensus among experts in regard to diagnosing psychopathy, treatment of psychopaths, and if psychopathy is a reliable/valid predictor for recidivism. These results have been compared to how psychopathic diagnoses’ are used within the Swedish correctional system. Questionnaires were answered by 11 experts in the field of psychiatry and psychology. The results showed that no consensus exists in regard to diagnosing psychopathy, or its treatment. As for predicting recidivism there is someagreement. In short, different professionals claim different views. The Department of Corrections official position was static, e.g. psychopaths can be easily identified and most should be denied treatment. If an inmate was deemed as psychopathic the possibility for rehabilitation, furloughs or other alleviations, were greatly diminished.</p><p>Keywords: Psychopathy, psychopathic diagnosis, treatment, recidivism, correctional system</p>

This study investigates if there is a scientific consensus among experts in regard to diagnosing psychopathy, treatment of psychopaths, and if psychopathy is a reliable/valid predictor for recidivism. These results have been compared to how psychopathic diagnoses’ are used within the Swedish correctional system. Questionnaires were answered by 11 experts in the field of psychiatry and psychology. The results showed that no consensus exists in regard to diagnosing psychopathy, or its treatment. As for predicting recidivism there is someagreement. In short, different professionals claim different views. The Department of Corrections official position was static, e.g. psychopaths can be easily identified and most should be denied treatment. If an inmate was deemed as psychopathic the possibility for rehabilitation, furloughs or other alleviations, were greatly diminished. Keywords: Psychopathy, psychopathic diagnosis, treatment, recidivism, correctional system

Introduction: Impairments in facial affect recognition have been linked to the development of various disorders. The aim of the current work is to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies examining whether this ability is impaired in males with psychopathy or antisocial traits, when compared to healthy individuals. Method: Studies were eligible for inclusion if they compared facial affect recognition in either a) psychopathic vs. antisocial males, b) psychopathic vs. healthy controls and c) antisocial vs. healthy controls. Primary outcomes were group differences in overall emotion recognition, fear recognition, and sadness recognition. Secondary outcomes were differences in recognition of disgust, happiness, surprise and anger. Results: Fifteen papers comprising 214 psychopathic males, 491 antisocial males and 386 healthy community controls were identified. In psychopathy, limited evidence suggested impairments in fear (k=2), sadness (k=1) and surprise (k=1) recognition relative to healthy individuals, but overall affect recognition ability was not affected (k=2). Findings were inconclusive for antisocial (k=4-6), although impairments in surprise (k=4) and disgust (k=5) recognition were observed. Psychopathic and antisocial samples did not differ in their ability to detect sadness (k=4), but psychopaths were less able to recognise happiness (k=4) and surprise (k=3). Conclusion: Limited evidence suggests psychopathic and antisocial personality traits are associated with small to moderate deficits in specific aspects of emotion recognition. However considerable heterogeneity was identified, and study quality was often poor. Adequately powered studies using validated assessment measures, rater masking and a priori public registration of hypotheses and methods are required.

Meanness and Disinhibition are two components of psychopathic personality, conceptualized by the Triarchic Psychopathic Model (Tri-PM). Psychopathic personality traits are related to criminal behavior. There is however, little research on how meanness and disinhibition relate to violent crime and non-violent crime. Data were drawn from a sample of college students and prison inmates (N = 1,787 mean age = 26.8 years). Meanness, disinhibition, violent crime and non-violent crime was measured using the Externalizing Spectrum Inventory ([ESI] Krueger et al., 2007). The results indicated that meanness and disinhibition explained 61% of the variance in violent crime and 77% of the variance in non-violent crime. Disinhibition had a stronger relation to both violent crime and non-violent crime. There was also a small, but significant interaction effect of meanness and disinhibition on violent crime and non-violent crime. The results support the theoretical outlines of the Tri-PM. Implications from these findings are that the ESI and the Tri-PM can be used risk assessment tools and in work related to crime prevention. Future research should in addition to meanness and disinhibition also include boldness from the Tri-PM and more severe violent types of crime in order to examine how these traits relate to intentions of violent- and non-violent crime. / Meanness och disinhibition ar tva komponenter av psykopatisk personlighet, konceptualiserad utifran The Triarchic Psychopahtic Model (The Tri-PM). Psykopatisk personlighet ar relaterat till brottsliga beteenden. Det finns dock lite forskning pa hur meanness och disinhibition relaterar till våldsbrott och ickevåldsbrott. Data drogs fran ett urval av universitetsstudenter och intagna i fangelse (N = 1 787 medelalder = 26,8 ar). Meanness, disinhibition, våldsbrott och ickevåldsbrott mattes med The Externalizing Spectrum Inventory ([ESI] Krueger et al., 2007). Variablerna analyserades med linjara multipla regressionsanalyser. Resultatet indikerade att meanness och disinhibition forklarade 61% av variansen av våldsbrott och 77% av variansen av icke-våldsbrott. Disinhibition hade en starkare relation till bade våldsbrott och icke-våldsbrott. Det fanns aven en liten, men signifikant interaktionseffekt for våldsbrott och ickevåldsbrott. Resultatet stodjer den teoretiska utgangspunkten fran Tri-PM. Implikationer fran dessa fynd ar att ESI och Tri-PM kan anvandas som riskbedomningsverktyg och brottsforebyggande syfte. Framtida forskning bor tillsammans med meanness och disinhibition aven inkludera boldness fran Tri-PM och mer grova typer av valdsamma brott for att undersoka hur dessa drag relaterar till olika avsikter for brott.

Inventory (YPI), kriminella handlingar och attityder till kriminellt beteende bland gymnasieungdomar. En frågeställning som undersöktes i studien var, om det fanns något samband mellan YPI personlighetsdrag och kriminella handlingar. Ytterligare en frågeställning som undersöktes var om det fanns några könsskillnader i attityder gentemot kriminellt beteende. Studien utfördes med en kvantitativ datainsamlingsmetod, vilken genomfördes via tre frågeformulär. De tre frågeformulären somanvändes i studien var ett egetkonstruerat frågeformulär, Youth Psychopatich traits Inventory (YPI), vilket är ett självskattningsformulär, och ett modifierat frågeformulär från Brottsförebyggande rådet. Datan som samlades in var från 108 gymnasieungdomar i åldrarna 15-19 år, därav 34 killar och 56 tjejer. Resultaten visade på att det personlighetsdrag som var relativt högst självskattat i den undersökta gruppen var thrill-seeking. Resultaten visade även att det fanns positiva medelstarka signifikanta samband mellan fem av YPI variablerna (manipulation, remorselessness, thrill-seeking, impulsiveness, irresponsibility) och kriminella handlingar. Ytterligare resultat som studien visade var att fler killar än tjejer hade gjort någon eller några kriminella handlingar. Killarnas attityder var mer liberala gentemot kriminella handlingar än tjejernas, vilket även stöds av tidigare forskning / The purpose of the study was to examine personality traits according to the Youth Psychopathic traits Inventory (YPI), criminal acts and attitudes towards criminal behavior among high school students. One of the questions that have been examined in the study is if there is any correlation between young people that have been involved with criminal acts and young people that have YPI personality tendencies. Another question investigated in the study was if there are gender inequities between boys and girls with regard to the attitudes towards criminal behavior. The study was conducted through a survey that included three questionnaires. The results were compiled and compared and then analyzed using a computer-based algorithm. The three questionnaires that were used in the study were a self-constructed survey, the Youth Psychopathic traits Inventory (YPI) and finally one modified Crime prevention council-BRÅ survey. The test group consisted of 108 upper secondary youth between the ages of fifteen and nineteen. The 108 participants included 34 boys and 56 girls. The result clearly showed that the psychopathic tendencies that were represented amongst the youth in the study are thrill-seeking based. The results also showed strong significant correlation between five of the YPI, variables (manipulation, remorselessness, thrill-seeking, impulsiveness, irresponsibility and criminal acts. The study also showed that more boys than girls had been involved in criminal acts of some kind. The attitudes of the boys in the study showed that they had a more liberal views regards to criminal acts than the girls, which is supported in previous research

There is a growing body of research on psychopathic traits in non-clinical populations. This emerging research has documented the prevalence of psychopathic traits in the general population and demonstrated that psychopathy has a similar latent structure as well as similar correlates (e.g., violent behavior, alcohol abuse, and lower intelligence) to forensic/offender samples. Relatedly, there is strong evidence insecure attachment patterns in adulthood are associated with many personality disorders, including psychopathy, but only a few studies have examined the relationship between attachment and psychopathic traits in non-clinical samples (albeit, convenience samples of college students). Thus, two aims of the current study are to: 1) describe and explore the manifestation and expression of psychopathic traits in a large, community-based sample and 2) examine associations between adult attachment disturbances and psychopathic traits in diverse sociodemographic subgroups. Using a cross-sectional design, results showed mean-level psychopathy factor score differences existed only when considering single sociodemographic factors (e.g., age), not an interaction of those factors. Psychopathy factor profiles were also consistent across groups, with higher levels of lifestyle followed by interpersonal, affective, and antisocial traits reported. Regarding the second aim, findings indicated support for the positive association between disturbed attachment patterns in adult relationships and psychopathic traits, although these associations differed in males and females of different age groups. Finally, there was some support for attachment processes acting as a social development pathway toward psychopathy, as insecure attachments in adulthood partially mediated the relationships between age and interpersonal, affective, and lifestyle traits of psychopathy.

For over half of a century, social and behavioral scientists have been investigating the construct of psychopathy. Even so, psychopathy is still a highly misunderstood personality construct. Even though it has been estimated that psychopaths make up only about 1% of the general population, they are believed to consist of 15-25% of the prison population (Hare, 1996). However, not all psychopaths are in prison. Psychopaths can also be found in such fields as the legal profession, the business world and in politics (Babiak, 1995). In terms of criminal behaviors, psychopaths are arrested at earlier ages, have a higher rate of offending, commit a wider array of offenses, are more likely to have used weapons and threatened violence, and are more likely to have used violence (Hart and Hare, 1997; Hare and McPherson, 1984; Serin, 1991; Wong, 1985). Also, once released from an institution, rates of recidivism for psychopaths are found to be higher than those for other criminals regarding both violent and FTSnon-violent criminal acts (Hemphill, Hare & Wong, 1998). Therefore, the societal importance of the psychopathy construct demanded that more research be conducted to better understand its underlying etiology, potential variants in typology, clinical course and potential treatment. Prior theories have proposed subtypes of psychopathy based on cognitive variables (passive avoidance errors) and on physiological variables (BIS/BAS) and on environmental variables (supportive upbringing or not). This study utilized self-report measures to assess the presence of psychopathy and to test the validity of the cognitive and physiological explanations for subtypes of psychopathy. A cognitive dissonance task tested the validity of the physiological theory and an alteration of a punishment task which increases the degree and strength of punishment tested the cognitive theory. Further, for the first time the construct of optimism was tested to determine it's role in parsing out two types of psychopathy.

Psykopati är en personlighetsstörning där specifika beteendemönsteringår. Man kan hitta psykopatiska drag hos barn och ungdomar. Detfinns begränsat med forskning gällande ungdomar med psykopatiskadrag och okänslighet för bestraffning, samt hur föräldrabeteendenpåverkas. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka om ungdomarsokänslighet för bestraffning medierar länken mellan psykopatiskadrag och föräldrabeteenden. Studien är gjord på tidigare insamladdata från en medelstor stad i Sverige. Sammanlagt deltog 968 flickoroch pojkar, samt svarade deras föräldrar på enkäter. Resultatetvisade att ungdomars okänslighet för bestraffning delvis medierarlänken mellan ungdomars psykopatiska drag och föräldrabeteenden.Dock visade fynden olika resultat för olika föräldrabeteenden. / Psychopathy is a personality disorder where specific patterns ofbehavior are included. It is possible to find psychopathic traits amongchildren and adolescents. There is limited research concerningadolescents with psychopathic traits and insensitivity to punishment,also how the parenting behaviors are affected. The purpose of thisstudy is to research if adolescents’ insensitivity to punishmentmediates the link between psychopathic traits and parenting behaviors.The study is conducted by using previously collected data from anaverage sized city in Sweden. There were 968 participants, where bothgirls and boys and their parents filled out questionnaires. The resultshowed that adolescents’ insensitivity to punishment partly mediatesthe link between youth’s psychopathic traits and parenting behaviors.However the findings showed different paths for different parentingbehaviors.

The ability of several psychometric instruments to differentiate between criminal and non-criminal subjects was investigated. The subjects in the study consisted of fifty male individuals between the ages of 18 and 55, half of which had been convicted of one crime and half of which had no history of criminal activity. The tests administered consisted of the Psychopathic Deviation Scale from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), the Psychopathic Deviation Scale of the Clinical Analysis Questionnaire, and two tests designed by the author. The author's tests consisted of the Test of Criminal Cognitions which evaluated antisocial thought patterns and cognitive flexibility, and the Social Semantics Test which assessed individual role definitions. The Test of Criminal Cognitions was administered as a part of a structured interview, and all other scales were administered in a paper and pencil format. The results indicated that the Psychopathic Deviation Scale of the MMPI, and a portion of both the Test of Criminal Cognitions and the Social Semantics Scales differentiated between the groups at the .05 level or better. These findings indicated that criminals tend to be significantly less flexible in their thought and tend to view others in a much more narcissistic manner than non-criminals. The results also indicated that these tests can be utilized to discriminate between criminals and non-criminals. It was additionally noted that the Psychopathic Deviation Scale of the Clinical Analysis Questionnaire did not consistently differentiate between the groups and should not be considered a valid instrument for discriminating between these groups.