The Indirect Effects of Psychopathy on Trait Aggression through Anxiety Sensitivity across Genders

ABSTRACT

Prior literature has supported associations between psychopathic personality traits and aggressive behavior among criminal and non-criminal populations. Extant literature is limited in examining affective variables that may account for variance within the association between psychopathic personality and aggression, as well as the role of gender in this association. The current study sought to fill this gap in the literature by examining the indirect effects of triarchic model psychopathic traits on trait physical aggression through the Cognitive Concerns domain of anxiety sensitivity for males and females, respectively, from a community sample. We expected that Cognitive Concerns would have significant indirect effects on the association between the psychopathic traits of Boldness and Disinhibition and trait physical aggression. Further, we expected that these indirect effects would only be detected for males and not females. Results partially supported our hypotheses, with Disinhibition significantly and positively predicting physical aggression for males, and not females, in part because males reported greater Cognitive Concerns. Contrary to our hypotheses, Cognitive Concerns exhibited a suppression effect on the association between Boldness and trait physical aggression. These findings illustrate the importance of examining the psychopathy-aggression link at the subscale level. Additionally, the current study delineates the importance of examining affective variables and gender difference within this association. Further implications and future directions will be discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Triarchic psychopathy
• anxiety sensitivity
• gender
• aggression

Notes

¹ Excluded participant demographics and descriptive statistics: Age (M=33.1, SD=9.5), 147 Males, 71 Female, Cognitive Concerns (M=13.42, SD=5.96), Boldness (M=29.26, SD=6.56), Meanness (M=22.9, SD=7.5), Disinhibition (M=25.09, SD=8.86), TPA (M=21.89, SD=6.86). Excluded participants significantly greater on all study variables (except Boldness) than included participants (likely due to random/inconsistent responding): Cognitive Concerns (t=−3.50, p<.001), Boldness (t=−0.55, p=.583), Meanness (t=−6.88, p<.001), Disinhibition (t=−4.57, p<.001), TPA (t=−4.32, p<.001).