Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Fledgling Psychopathic Features and Pathological Delinquency: New Evidence

  • Published:
American Journal of Criminal Justice Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Fledgling psychopathy is a construct that has proven useful in organizing the nomological network of conduct problems and psychopathology in children and adolescents. Drawing on data from an institutionalized sample of delinquents (n = 252), the current study compared ADHD, CD, and ADHD+CD youth on psychopathic personality features and their association with pathological delinquency. Youths with ADHD+CD were significantly more psychopathic than their peers. Although callousness, unemotionality, and remorselessness are generally theorized to define the fledgling psychopathic youth, ROC-AUC models found that thrillseeking and impulsiveness were the strongest classification variables for delinquency and violent delinquency at the 90th percentiles. Implications for research and practice with antisocial youth are proffered.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Although callous-unemotional traits concept is a bourgeoning research area in the psychopathy literature, there are other concepts that are also used to capture the coldness of the psychopathy construct. For example, Patrick (2010) uses the colloquial term “meanness” to convey the unfeeling and remorseless components of psychopathy personality. Patrick (2010, p. 35) defines the behavioral manifestations of meanness as “arrogance and verbal derisiveness, defiance of authority, lack of close personal relationships, physical cruelty toward people and animals, predatory (proactive, premeditated) aggression, strategic exploitation of others for gain, and excitement-seeking through destructiveness.” This is not just a semantic issue. Both callous-unemotional traits and meanness embody the personality features that facilitate the psychopathic offender’s capacity to use force against a victim (DeLisi, 2009).

  2. There is also evidence of that fledgling psychopathy contributes to adult criminal careers. Using retrospective data from a sample of male prisoners (mean age 30 years) who were convicted of violent crimes, Johansson, Kerr, and Andershed (2005) found that among those who were psychopathic as adults, there was a fourfold increased likelihood of childhood ADHD and CD. Similarly, correctional interviews with adult career criminals indicated that most habitual offenders self-reported that they displayed self-regulation and conduct problems throughout the life course dating back to early childhood (DeLisi, 2005).

  3. To illustrate, Waschbusch (2002) conducted a meta-analysis of 96 studies including approximately 25,000 participants and overall found that children with hyperactivity, impulsivity, and attention problems and conduct problems displayed significantly worse behaviors than youth with these individual problems and controls. However, there was not compelling evidence that ADHD and CD symptoms interact synergistically, and thus Waschbusch (2002) questioned the veracity of a taxonomically distinct fledgling psychopathic group.

  4. There were significant gender differences for two YPI subscales. Boys had significantly higher scores for callousness (t = −3.20, p < .001) and girls had significantly higher scores for thrillseeking (t = 2.28, p < .05). Non-significant differences were found for dishonest charm (t = −0.67), grandiosity (t = −1.85), lying (t = −1.35), manipulation (t = 0.07), remorselessness (t = −1.86), unemotionality (t = −1.63), impulsiveness (t = 1.79), irresponsibility (t = 0.22), and YPI total score (t = −0.80).

  5. Other recent studies have shown similar AUC values among forensic samples of youth. For example, Pechorro, Maroco, Polares, and Vieira (2013) recently conducted a validation study of the Portugese Version of the Antisocial Process Screening Device and reported lower AUC effects than the current study.

References

  • Andershed, H., Kerr, M., Stattin, H., & Levander, S. (2002). Psychopathic traits in non-referred youths: A new assessment tool. In E. Blaauw & L. Sheridan (Eds.), Psychopaths: Current international perspectives (pp. 131–158). The Hague: Elsevier.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barry, C. T., Frick, P. J., DeShazo, T. M., McCoy, M. G., Elliss, M., & Loney, B. R. (2000). The importance of callous-unemotional traits for extending the concept of psychopathy to children. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 109, 335–340.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blair, R. J. R. (1999). Responsiveness to distress cues in the child with psychopathic tendencies. Personality and Individual Differences, 27, 135–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blomberg, T. G., Bales, W. D., Mann, K., Piquero, A. R., & Berk, R. A. (2011). Incarceration, education and transition from delinquency. Journal of Criminal Justice, 39, 355–365.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brotman, M. A., Schmajuk, M., Rich, B. A., Dickstein, D. P., Guyer, A. E., Costello, E. J., … & Leibenluft, E. (2006). Prevalence, clinical correlates, and longitudinal course of severe mood dysregulation in children. Biological psychiatry, 60(9), 991–997.

  • Burke, J. D., Loeber, R., & Lahey, B. B. (2007). Adolescent conduct disorder and interpersonal callousness as predictors of psychopathy in young adults. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 36, 334–346.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chauhan, P., Reppucci, N. D., & Burnette, M. L. (2007). Application and impact of the psychopathy label to juveniles. International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 6(1), 3–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Colledge, E., & Blair, R. J. R. (2001). The relationship in children between the inattention and impulsivity component of ADHD and psychopathic tendencies. Personality and Individual Differences, 30, 1175–1187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Boer, S. B. B., van Oort, F. V. A., Donker, M. C. H., Verheij, F., & Boon, A. E. (2012). Childhood characteristics of adolescent inpatients with early-onset and adolescence-onset disruptive behavior. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 34, 415–422.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeLisi, M. (2005). Career criminals in society. Thousand Oaks: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • DeLisi, M. (2009). Psychopathy is the unified theory of crime. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, 7(3), 256–273.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeLisi, M. (2013). Pandora’s box: The consequences of low self-control into adulthood. In C. L. Gibson & M. D. Krohn (Eds.), Handbook of life-course criminology: Emerging trends and directions for future research (pp. 261–276). New York: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • DeLisi, M., Neppl, T. K., Lohman, B. J., Vaughn, M. G., & Shook, J. J. (2013). Early starters: which type of criminal onset matters most for delinquent careers? Journal of Criminal Justice, 41(1), 12–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeLisi, M., & Piquero, A. R. (2011). New frontiers in criminal careers research, 2000–2011: a state-of-the-art review. Journal of Criminal Justice, 39(4), 289–301.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeLisi, M., Vaughn, M., Beaver, K. M., Wexler, J., Barth, A. E., & Fletcher, J. M. (2011). Fledgling psychopathy in the classroom: ADHD subtypes, psychopathy, and reading comprehension in a community sample of adolescents. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, 9(1), 43–58.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dolan, M. C., & Rennie, C. E. (2007). The relationship between psychopathic traits measured by the Youth Psychopathic trait Inventory and psychopathology in a UK sample of conduct disordered boys. Journal of Adolescence, 30(4), 601–611.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donnellan, B. M., Ge, X., & Wenk, E. (2002). Personality characteristics of juvenile offenders: differences in the CPI by age at first arrest and frequency of offending. Personality and Individual Differences, 33(5), 727–740.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elliott, D. S., Huizinga, D., & Menard, S. (1989). Multiple problem youth: Delinquency, substance use, and mental health problems. New York: Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Farrington, D. P., Loeber, R., Stallings, R., & Homish, D. L. (2008). Early risk factors for young homicide offenders and victims. In M. DeLisi & P. J. Conis (Eds.), Violent offenders: Theory, research, public policy, and practice (pp. 79–96). Sudbury: Jones & Bartlett.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flexon, J. L., & Meldrum, R. C. (2013). Adolescent psychopathic traits and violent delinquency: additive and nonadditive effects with key criminological variables. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice. doi:10.1177/1541204012470850.

    Google Scholar 

  • Forth, A. E., & Book, A. S. (2010). Psychopathic traits in children and adolescents: The relationship with antisocial behaviors and aggression. In R. T. Salekin & D. R. Lynam (Eds.), Handbook of child and adolescent psychopathy (pp. 251–283). New York: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frick, P. J. (1998). Conduct disorders and severe antisocial behavior. New York: Plenum.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Frick, P. J., Cornell, A. H., Barry, C. T., Bodin, S. D., & Dane, H. E. (2003). Callous-Unemotional traits and conduct problems in the prediction of conduct problem severity, aggression, and self-report of delinquency. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 31, 457–470.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frick, P. J., & Nigg, J. T. (2012). Current issues in the diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and conduct disorder. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 8, 77–107.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frick, P. J., Stickle, T. R., Dandreaux, D. M., Farrell, J. M., & Kimonis, E. R. (2005). Callous-unemotional traits in predicting the severity and stability of conduct problems and delinquency. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 33, 471–487.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gottfredson, M. R., & Hirschi, T. (1990). A general theory of crime. Stanford: Stanford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gresham, F. M., Lane, K. L., & Lambros, K. M. (2000). Comorbidity of conduct problems and ADHD: identification of“ Fledgling Psychopaths”. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 8(2), 83–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hinshaw, S. P. (1987). On the distinction between attentional deficits/hyperactivity and conduct problems/aggression in child psychopathology. Psychological Bulletin, 101(3), 443–463.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hinshaw, S. P. (1992). Externalizing behavior problems and academic underachievement in childhood and adolescence: causal relationships and underlying mechanisms. Psychological Bulletin, 111(1), 127–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jennings, W. G., & Reingle, J. M. (2012). On the number and shape of developmental/life-course violence, aggression, and delinquency trajectories: a state-of-the-art review. Journal of Criminal Justice, 40(6), 472–489.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johansson, P., Kerr, M., & Andershed, H. (2005). Linking adult psychopathy with childhood hyperactivity-impulsivity-attention problems and conduct problems through retrospective self-reports. Journal of Personality Disorders, 19(1), 94–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones, S. E., Miller, J. D., & Lynam, D. R. (2011). Personality, antisocial behavior, and aggression: a meta-analytic review. Journal of Criminal Justice, 39(4), 329–337.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lahey, B. B., & Waldman, I. D. (2012). Annual research review: phenotypic and causal structure of conduct disorder in the broader context of prevalent forms of psychopathology. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 53, 536–557.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loeber, R., & Farrington, D. P. (2000). Young children who commit crime: epidemiology, developmental origins, risk factors, early interventions, and policy implications. Development and Psychopathology, 12(04), 737–762.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lynam, D. R. (1996). Early identification of chronic offenders: who is the fledgling psychopath? Psychological Bulletin, 120, 209–234.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lynam, D. R. (1997). Childhood psychopathy: capturing the fledgling psychopath in a nomological net. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 106, 425–438.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lynam, D. R. (1998). Early identification of the fledgling psychopath: locating the psychopathic child in the current nomenclature. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 120, 209–234.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maldonado-Molina, M. M., Jennings, W. G., Tobler, A. L., Piquero, A. R., & Canino, G. (2010). Assessing the victim-offender overlap among Puerto Rican youth. Journal of Criminal Justice, 38(6), 1191–1201.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Metz, C. E., Herman, B. A., & Shen, J.-H. (1998). Maximum likelihood estimation of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves from continuously-distributed data. Statistics in Medicine, 17, 1033–1053.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moffitt, T. E. (1993). Adolescence-limited and life-course-persistent antisocial behavior: a developmental taxonomy. Psychological Review, 100(4), 674–701.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mordre, M., Groholt, B., Kjelsberg, E., Sandstad, B., & Myhre, A. M. (2011). The impact of ADHD and conduct disorder in childhood on adult delinquency: a 30-years follow-up study using official crime records. BMC psychiatry, 11(1), 57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murrie, D. C., Cornell, D. G., & McCoy, W. K. (2005). Psychopathy, conduct disorder, and stigma: does diagnostic labeling influence juvenile probation officer recommendations? Law and Human Behavior, 29(3), 323–342.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pardini, D. A., & Loeber, R. (2007). Interpersonal and affective features of psychopathy in children and adolescents: advancing a developmental perspective introduction to special section. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 36(3), 269–275.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patrick, C. J. (2010). Conceptualizing the psychopathic personality: Disinhibited, bold,… Or just plain mean? In R. T. Salekin & D. R. Lynam (Eds.), Handbook of child & adolescent psychopathy (pp. 15–48). New York: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pechorro, P., Maroco, J., Poiares, C., & Vieira, R. X. (2013). Validation of the Portuguese Version of the Antisocial Process Screening Device self report with a focus on delinquent behavior and behavior problems. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 57, 112–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds, M. D., Tarter, R. E., Kirisci, L., & Clark, D. B. (2011). Marijuana but not alcohol use during adolescence mediates the association between transmissible risk for substance use disorder and number of lifetime violent offenses. Journal of Criminal Justice, 39, 218–223.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ribeiro da Silva, D., Rijo, D., & Salekin, R. T. (2012). Child and adolescent psychopathy: a state-of-the-art reflection on the construct and etiological theories. Journal of Criminal Justice, 40(4), 269–277.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sevecke, K., & Kosson, D. S. (2010). Relationships of child and adolescent psychopathy to other forms of psychopathology. In R. T. Salekin & D. R. Lynam (Eds.), Handbook of child & adolescent psychopathy (pp. 284–316). New York: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shook, J. J., Vaughn, M., Goodkind, S., & Johnson, H. (2011). An empirical portrait of youthful offenders who sell drugs. Journal of Criminal Justice, 39(3), 224–231.

    Google Scholar 

  • Theobald, D., Farrington, D. P., & Piquero, A. R. (2013). Childhood broken homes and adult violence: an analysis of moderators and mediators. Journal of Criminal Justice, 41(1), 44–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, L. L., Riggs, P. D., Mikulich, S. K., & Crowley, T. J. (1996). Contribution of ADHD symptoms to substance problems and delinquency in conduct-disordered adolescents. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 24(3), 325–347.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trulson, C. R., Caudill, J. W., Haerle, D. R., & DeLisi, M. (2012). Cliqued up: the postincarceration recidivism of young gang-related homicide offenders. Criminal Justice Review, 37, 174–190.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trulson, C. R., Haerle, D. R., DeLisi, M., & Marquart, J. W. (2011). Blended sentencing, early release, and recidivism of violent institutionalized delinquents. The Prison Journal, 91, 255–278.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tuvblad, C., Bezdjian, S., Raine, A., & Baker, L. A. (2013). Psychopathic Personality and Negative Parent-to-Child Affect: A Longitudinal Cross‐lag Twin Study. Journal of Criminal Justice, 41(5), 331–341.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ullrich, S., & Marneros, A. (2007). Underlying dimensions of ICD-10 personality disorders: risk factors, childhood antecedents, and adverse outcomes in adulthood. The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, 18(1), 44–58.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Domburgh, L., Loeber, R., Bezemer, D., Stallings, R., & Stouthamer-Loeber, M. (2009). Childhood predictors of desistance and level of persistence in offending in early onset offenders. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 37(7), 967–980.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vaughn, M. G., & DeLisi, M. (2008). Were Wolfgang’s chronic offenders psychopaths? On the convergent validity between psychopathy and career criminality. Journal of Criminal Justice, 36(1), 33–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vaughn, M. G., DeLisi, M., Gunter, T., Fu, Q., Beaver, K. M., Perron, B. E., & Howard, M. O. (2011). The severe 5%: a latent class analysis of the externalizing behavior spectrum in the United States. Journal of Criminal Justice, 39(1), 75–80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vaughn, M. G., Howard, M. O., & DeLisi, M. (2008). Psychopathic personality traits and delinquent careers: an empirical examination. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 31(5), 407–416.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vaughn, M. G., Litschge, C., DeLisi, M., Beaver, K. M., & McMillen, C. J. (2008). Psychopathic personality features and risks for criminal justice system involvement among emancipating foster youth. Children and Youth Services Review, 30(10), 1101–1110.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vitacco, M. J., & Vincent, G. M. (2006). Understanding the downward extension of psychopathy to youth: implications for risk assessment and juvenile justice. International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 5(1), 29–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waschbusch, D. A. (2002). A meta-analytic examination of comorbid hyperactive-impulsive-attention problems and conduct problems. Psychological Bulletin, 128(1), 118–150.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White, S. F., & Frick, P. J. (2010). Callous-unemotional traits and their importance to causal models of severe antisocial behavior in youth. In R. T. Salekin & D. R. Lynam (Eds.), Handbook of child & adolescent psychopathy (pp. 135–155). New York: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Woodworth, M., & Porter, S. (2002). In cold blood: characteristics of criminal homicides as a function of psychopathy. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 111(3), 436–445.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA

    Matt DeLisi, Tamerria Dansby, David J. Peters & Andy Hochstetler

  2. Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO, USA

    Michael G. Vaughn

  3. University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Jeffrey J. Shook

Authors
  1. Matt DeLisi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Tamerria Dansby
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. David J. Peters
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Michael G. Vaughn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jeffrey J. Shook
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Andy Hochstetler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Matt DeLisi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

DeLisi, M., Dansby, T., Peters, D.J. et al. Fledgling Psychopathic Features and Pathological Delinquency: New Evidence. Am J Crim Just 39, 411–424 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-013-9218-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-013-9218-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation