Acquiring Psychopathy and Callousness Traits: Examining the Influence of Childhood Betrayal Trauma and Adult Dissociative Experiences in a Community Sample

ABSTRACT

The study of psychopathy has largely centered on samples of incarcerated offenders with a focus on primary psychopathy traits. Less is known, however, about how experiences of childhood betrayal trauma and dissociation influence the development of these traits in non-institutionalized individuals. In the present study, we utilized structural equation modeling to investigate the relationships among childhood betrayal trauma, adult dissociation, and adult psychopathy traits and callous affect traits in a community sample (N = 746). Childhood betrayal trauma was associated with psychopathy and callous affect traits, and mediated by dissociative experiences. These results are consistent with theory and prior empirical findings associating childhood betrayal trauma with dissociation, psychopathy, and callous affect traits. The results will help influence the design of future studies that can further inform the developmental course of psychopathy.

KEYWORDS:

• Betrayal trauma
• childhood trauma
• dissociation
• psychopathy
• callous affect
• community sample

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.