Psychopathic Traits and Suicidal Ideation in High-School Students

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate the contribution of psychopathic traits in the prediction of suicidal ideation among non-clinical non-forensic adolescents. A sample of 312 high-school students completed questionnaires assessing suicidal ideation, depressive symptoms, borderline personality traits, and cannabis use and the Youth Psychopathic traits Inventory (YPI, Andershed, Kerr, Stattin et al., 2002), which consists of three dimensions, the Interpersonal subscale (grandiosity, manipulation), the Affective subscale (callousness, unemotionality), and the Behavioral subscale (impulsiveness, irresponsibility). A multiple regression analysis showed that the affective component of psychopathic traits was an independent predictor of suicidal ideation. Our results suggest that clinicians should not assume that the presence of psychopathic traits in adolescent is a protection against suicidal ideation.

Keywords:

• adolescents
• callousness
• psychopathic traits
• suicidal ideation
• unemotionality

Notes

¹We can't present more precise demographic characteristics since principals of French high schools don't approve study procedures asking participants to give information on race, religion or socioeconomic status. These areas are perceived as too sensitive. However, this contributed to the acceptability of the study.

²In France, parental consent for high-school students is not required.

∗p < .05.

∗p < .001.