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Original Article

Psychopathic Traits in Youth and Associations with Temperamental Features

Results from a Performance-Based Measure

Published Online:February 11, 2013https://doi.org/10.1027/1614-0001/a000090

Abstract

The present study aims to disentangle motivational and self-regulatory pathways to psychopathic traits in youth with severe antisocial behavior. The associations between self-reported psychopathic traits and indices derived from a laboratory measure assessing fear sensitivity and self-regulation were evaluated. Low scores on fear sensitivity and self-regulation were related to high scores on the self-reported Callous/Unemotional factor of psychopathic traits and the Callousness dimension in particular. The present study provides at least partial evidence for both motivational (low-fear hypothesis; Lykken, 1995) and self-regulatory (response modulation hypothesis; Patterson & Newman, 1993) accounts of psychopathic traits in youth.

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