Adolescent Conduct Disorder and Interpersonal Callousness as Predictors of Psychopathy in Young Adults

Abstract

Unfortunately, very little research has examined the link between antisocial personality traits in childhood and adult psychopathy. This study used data from a clinic-referred sample of 177 boys, assessed annually from recruitment (ages 7 to 12) through age 19. Parent and teacher ratings of interpersonal callousness (IC) were tested at predictors of psychopathy ratings at 18 and 19. In regression models, conduct disorder (CD) and teacher-rated IC both predicted both Factor 1 (interpersonal and affective items) and Factor 2 (impulsivity and antisocial behavior items) of the Psychopathy Checklist–Revised, as did child IQ. Prenatal tobacco exposure and cortisol measured in adolescence predicted only Factor 1. When each factor was included in the prediction of the other, CD and IC no longer predicted Factor 1 but remained significant predictors of Factor 2.

This study was supported by a grant (NIMH MH042529) to Rolf Loeber.

Notes

^a Early behavioral problems were excluded from the scoring of Factor 2, as the models of interest involved prediction from early behavioral problems.

Note: Age was controlled in each analysis. Generalized linear regression models were used, clustered on participant, with a robust estimator of variance. Response variable was the square root transformation of the Psychopathy Checklist score. The values given are unstandardized beta values. Full-scale IQ was measured in Year 1 using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Revised (Wechsler, 1974).

∗p < .05, ∗∗p < .01, ∗∗∗p < .001

Note: Age was controlled in each analysis. Generalized linear regression models were used, clustered on participant, with a robust estimator of variance. Response variable was the square root transformation of the Psychopathy Checklist score. The values given are unstandardized beta values. Full-scale IQ was measured in Year 1 using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Revised (Wechsler, 1974). CI = confidence interval.

Note: Generalized linear regression models were used, clustered on participant, with a robust estimator of variance. Response variable was the square root transformation of the Psychopathy Checklist score. The values given are unstandardized beta values. Full-scale IQ was measured in Year 1 using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Revised (Wechsler, 1974). CI = confidence interval.

Note: Age was controlled in each analysis. Generalized linear regression models were used, clustered on participant, with a robust estimator of variance. Response variable was the square root transformation of the Psychopathy Checklist score. The values given are unstandardized beta values. Full-scale IQ was measured in Year 1 using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Revised (Wechsler, 1974). CI = confidence interval.

Note: Generalized linear regression models were used, clustered on participant, with a robust estimator of variance. response variable was the square root transformation of the Psychopathy Checklist score. The values given are unstandardized beta values. Full-scale IQ was measured in Year 1 using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–revised (Wechsler, 1974). CI = confidence interval.

Note: Generalized linear regression models were used, clustered on participant, with a robust estimator of variance. response variable was the square root transformation of the Psychopathy Checklist score. The values given are unstandardized beta values. Full-scale IQ was measured in Year 1 using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–revised (Wechsler, 1974). CI = confidence interval.