High and Low Aggressive Narcissism and Anti-social Lifestyle in Relationship to Impulsivity, Hostility, and Empathy in a Group of Forensic Patients in the Netherlands

Abstract

In a group of 148 violent offenders, 14 offenders were diagnosed as psychopaths (PCL-R score 30+); 46 as middle group psychopaths (PCL-R score 21–29); and 88 as non-psychopaths (PCL-R score −21). To measure impulsivity, empathy, and hostility in the three groups, clinical diagnoses of psychologists and psychiatrists were used and classified in the HKT-30. Based on Hare's PCL-R classification, psychopaths scored more problematic on impulsivity, empathy, and hostility than the middle group and non-psychopaths. Differences between the middle and psychopathic group were small. Individuals who scored high on Factors 1 and 2 showed significantly more problematic behavior on impulsivity, empathy, and hostility than individuals with a low score. Empathy and hostility contributed significantly to the prediction of Factor 1 (high aggressive narcissism; R² = 22%), and empathy and impulsivity contributed significantly (not for impulsivity but meaningful) to the prediction of Factor 2 (high antisocial lifestyle; R² = 22%).

Keywords:

• psychopaths
• primary and secondary narcissism
• aggressive narcissism
• antisocial lifestyle