Affective startle potentiation differentiates primary and secondary variants of juvenile psychopathy

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 1149-1160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva R. Kimonis ◽  
Kostas A. Fanti ◽  
Natalie Goulter ◽  
Jason Hall
Keyword(s):  
Childhood Maltreatment ◽  
Latent Profile Analysis ◽  
Emotional Reactivity ◽  
Psychopathic Traits ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Cu Traits ◽  
Secondary Psychopathy ◽  
High Aggression ◽  
Secondary Variants ◽  
Startle Potentiation

AbstractIndividuals with psychopathic traits show an attenuated emotional response to aversive stimuli. However, recent evidence suggests heterogeneity in emotional reactivity among individuals with psychopathic or callous–unemotional (CU) traits in the identification of primary and secondary subtypes, or variants. We hypothesized that primary CU variants will respond with blunted affect to negatively valenced stimuli, whereas individuals with a history of childhood maltreatment, fitting with theoretical conceptualizations of secondary psychopathy, will display heightened emotional reactivity. To test this hypothesis, we examined fear-potentiated startle between CU variants while viewing aversive, pleasant, and neutral scenes. Two hundred thirty-eight incarcerated adolescent (M age = 16.8 years, SD = 1.11 years) boys completed a picture-startle paradigm and self-report questionnaires assessing CU traits, aggressive behavior, and maltreatment. Latent profile analysis of CU trait, aggression, and maltreatment scores identified four classes: primary psychopathy variants (high CU traits, high aggression, low maltreatment; n = 46), secondary psychopathy variants (high CU traits, high aggression, high maltreatment; n = 42), and two nonpsychopathic groups differentiated on maltreatment experience (n = 148). Primary CU variants displayed reduced startle potentiation to aversive images relative to control, maltreated, and also secondary variants that exhibited greater startle modulation. Findings add to a rapidly growing body of literature supporting the possibility of multiple developmental pathways to psychopathic traits (i.e., equifinality), and extend it by finding support for divergent potential biomarkers between primary and secondary CU variants.

Are impairments in emotion recognition a core feature of callous–unemotional traits? Testing the primary versus secondary variants model in children

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark R. Dadds ◽  
Eva R. Kimonis ◽  
Olivia Schollar-Root ◽  
Caroline Moul ◽  
David J. Hawes
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Recognition ◽  
Behavioral Problems ◽  
Self Report ◽  
High Anxiety ◽  
Cu Traits ◽  
Callous Unemotional ◽  
History Of ◽  
Anxiety Levels ◽  
Secondary Variants ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractThe role of environmental adversity in the development of high callous–unemotional (CU) traits in children is controversial. Evidence speaks to the traits being largely independent of adversity; however, recent data shows that those with high CU traits and high adversity and/or high anxiety might differ in important ways from those with no such history. We tested this using emotion recognition (ER) skills. We tested whether maltreatment history and anxiety levels moderated the relationship between level of CU traits and ER skills in N = 364 children with behavioral problems who were 3 to 16 years old. As hypothesised, in the full sample, the relationship between CU traits and ER differed according to maltreatment history, such that CU traits were associated with poorer recognition for those with zero or negligible history of maltreatment. This moderation of the CU-ER relationship by maltreatment was inconsistent across subgroups, however, and for the cohort utilizing youth self-report of maltreatment, high CU traits were associated with poor ER in those with lower anxiety levels. Maltreatment history and/or anxiety levels can identify different emotional impairments associated with high CU traits, and the impairments might be characteristic of “primary” high CU traits defined as occurring independently of maltreatment and/or high anxiety.

Emotional reactivity and regulation in individuals with psychopathic traits: Evidence for a disconnect between neurophysiology and self-report

2017 ◽  
Vol 54 (10) ◽  
pp. 1574-1585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer D. Ellis ◽  
Hans S. Schroder ◽  
Christopher J. Patrick ◽  
Jason S. Moser
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Reactivity ◽  
Psychopathic Traits ◽  
Self Report

scholarly journals Connectome-based model predicts individual psychopathic traits in college students

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuer Ye ◽  
Bing Zhu ◽  
Lei Zhao ◽  
Xuehong Tian ◽  
Qun Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
General Population ◽  
Limbic System ◽  
Psychopathic Traits ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Special Role ◽  
Whole Brain ◽  
Secondary Psychopathy

Background: Psychopathic traits have been suggested to increase the risk of violations of socio-moral norms. Previous studies revealed that abnormal neural signatures are associated with elevated psychopathic traits; however, whether the intrinsic network architecture can predict psychopathic traits at the individual level remains unclear. Methods: The present study utilized connectome-based predictive modeling (CPM) to investigate whether whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) can predict psychopathic traits in the general population. RS functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected from 84 college students with varying psychopathic traits measured by the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (LSRP). Results: We found that RSFC of the negative networks predicted individual differences in total LSRP and secondary psychopathy scores but not primary psychopathy score. Particularly, nodes with the most connections in the predictive connectome anchored in the prefrontal cortex (e.g., anterior prefrontal cortex and orbitofrontal cortex) and limbic system (e.g., anterior cingulate cortex and insula). In addition, the connections between the occipital network (OCCN) and cingulo-opercular network (CON) served as a significant predictive connectome for total LSRP and secondary psychopathy score. Conclusion: CPM constituted by whole-brain RSFC significantly predicted psychopathic traits individually in the general population. The prefrontal cortex and limbic system at the anatomic level and the CON and OCCN at the functional network level plays a special role in the predictive model-reflecting atypical executive control and affective processing for individuals with elevated psychopathic traits. These findings may provide some implications for early detection and potential intervention of psychopathic tendency.

scholarly journals People that score high on psychopathic traits are less likely to yawn contagiously

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew C. Gallup ◽  
Mariska E. Kret ◽  
Omar Tonsi Eldakar ◽  
Julia Folz ◽  
Jorg J. M. Massen
Keyword(s):  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Psychopathic Traits ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Psychopathic Personality ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Contagious Yawning ◽  
Online Study ◽  
Secondary Psychopathy ◽  
Dirty Dozen ◽  
Video Stimulus

AbstractConsiderable variation exists in the contagiousness of yawning, and numerous studies have been conducted to investigate the proximate mechanisms involved in this response. Yet, findings within the psychological literature are mixed, with many studies conducted on relatively small and homogeneous samples. Here, we aimed to replicate and extend upon research suggesting a negative relationship between psychopathic traits and yawn contagion in community samples. In the largest study of contagious yawning to date (N = 458), which included both university students and community members from across 50 nationalities, participants completed an online study in which they self-reported on their yawn contagion to a video stimulus and completed four measures of psychopathy: the primary and secondary psychopathy scales from the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (LSRPS), the psychopathy construct from the Dirty Dozen, and the Psychopathic Personality Traits Scale (PPTS). Results support previous findings in that participants that yawned contagiously tended to score lower on the combined and primary measures of psychopathy. That said, tiredness was the strongest predictor across all models. These findings align with functional accounts of spontaneous and contagious yawning and a generalized impairment in overall patterns of behavioral contagion and biobehavioral synchrony among people high in psychopathic traits.

Identifying Suicide Typologies Among Trauma-Exposed Veterans

Crisis ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 288-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadia Bounoua ◽  
Jasmeet P. Hayes ◽  
Naomi Sadeh
Keyword(s):  
Latent Profile Analysis ◽  
Suicide Attempts ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Profile Analysis ◽  
Risky Behaviors ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Research Priority ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
And Behaviors

Abstract. Background: Suicide among veterans has increased in recent years, making the identification of those at greatest risk for self-injurious behavior a high research priority. Aims: We investigated whether affective impulsivity and risky behaviors distinguished typologies of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors in a sample of trauma-exposed veterans. Method: A total of 95 trauma-exposed veterans (ages 21–55; 87% men) completed self-report measures of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors, impulsivity, and clinical symptoms. Results: A latent profile analysis produced three classes that differed in suicidal ideation, suicide attempts and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI): A low class that reported little to no self-injurious thoughts or behaviors; a self-injurious thoughts (ST) class that endorsed high levels of ideation but no self-harm behaviors; and a self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (STaB) class that reported ideation, suicide attempts and NSSI. Membership in the STaB class was associated with greater affective impulsivity, disinhibition, and distress/arousal than the other two classes. Limitations: Limitations include an overrepresentation of males in our sample, the cross-sectional nature of the data, and reliance on self-report measures. Conclusion: Findings point to affective impulsivity and risky behaviors as important characteristics of veterans who engage in self-injurious behaviors.

scholarly journals Emotional reactivity and the association between psychopathy-linked narcissism and aggression in detained adolescent boys

2013 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 473-485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luna C. Muñoz Centifanti ◽  
Eva R. Kimonis ◽  
Paul J. Frick ◽  
Katherine J. Aucoin
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Reactivity ◽  
Violent Behavior ◽  
Proactive Aggression ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Autonomic Reactivity ◽  
Adolescent Boys ◽  
Emotional Stimuli ◽  
Detention Center ◽  
Callous Unemotional ◽  
Callous Unemotional Traits

AbstractDifferent patterns of emotional reactivity characterize proactive and reactive functions of aggressive behavior, and theory also suggests a link of both types with narcissism. How people with narcissistic traits respond emotionally to competitive scenarios could influence their aggressiveness. Participants were 85 adolescent boys from a detention center. Several indices of emotional functioning were assessed, including attentional bias to negative emotional stimuli and psychophysiological responding. In addition, we included self-report and laboratory measures of aggression and measures of psychopathy-linked narcissism, callous–unemotional traits, and impulsivity. Psychopathy-linked narcissism was uniquely related to unprovoked aggression (i.e., proactive aggression) and to heightened attention to pictures depicting others’ distress. Compared with those scoring low on narcissism, those high on narcissism, who were the least physiologically reactive group, evinced greater proactive aggression, whereas those showing a pattern of coactivation (i.e., sympathetic and parasympathetic autonomic reactivity) evinced greater reactive aggression. Results are consistent with descriptions of narcissistic individuals as being hypervigilant to negative cues and exhibiting poor emotion regulation. These characteristics may lead to aggressive and violent behavior aimed at maintaining dominance over others.

The Role of Maternal Self-efficacy in the Link Between Childhood Maltreatment and Maternal Stress During Transition to Motherhood

2021 ◽  
pp. 088626052110428
Author(s):  
Gabriella Bentley ◽  
Osnat Zamir
Keyword(s):  
Childhood Abuse ◽  
Childhood Maltreatment ◽  
Parental Stress ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
History Of Childhood ◽  
Transition To Motherhood ◽  
History Of

The transition to motherhood is a significant developmental milestone in many women’s lives. This transitional period may be more stressful for women with a history of childhood maltreatment (CM) than for women without such a history. This study tested whether parental self-efficacy (PSE) accounts for the link between CM and parental stress in mothers transitioning to motherhood. The study used a convenience sample of 1,306 first-time mothers of children aged two years or younger. Mothers filled out online self-report questionnaires assessing history of CM, PSE, and prenatal stress. Consistent with the hypotheses, exposure to CM was directly associated with greater parental stress. Also, PSE partially mediated the associations between CM and parental stress, such that mothers with a history of childhood abuse reported a lower level of PSE, which in turn was associated with greater parental stress. In conclusion, the study highlights the important role of negative cognitions related to parenting for maternal dysfunction following exposure to childhood abuse. These findings suggest a need to incorporate preventive interventions designed to promote PSE for mothers exposed to CM. Such programs may alleviate parental stress and further support the healthy development of the child.

Temperament and Coping Activity Under Stress of Changing Intensity Over Time

2012 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 326-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irena Heszen
Keyword(s):  
Stress Intensity ◽  
Emotional Reactivity ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Sensory Sensitivity ◽  
And Coping ◽  
First Myocardial Infarction ◽  
Different Levels ◽  
Over Time

Temperament is probably an important factor that influences coping activity. The framework of the study was the Regulative Theory of Temperament by Strelau, where six temperamental traits are distinguished: emotional reactivity, perseveration, activity, briskness, sensory sensitivity, and endurance. These traits were hypothesized to be connected to coping activity in accordance with their psychological characteristics. It was also expected that the associations between temperament and coping activity should depend on stress intensity. Participants were 278 diabetics and 232 patients after first myocardial infarction (MI). The study was longitudinal and two diseases had been purposely selected so as to represent stress intensity either increasing (in diabetes) or decreasing (after MI) over time. Temperamental traits as well as coping activity components: cognitive appraisal, affect, and coping strategies were measured using self-report questionnaires. As hypothesized, temperamental traits were connected to coping activity. Phase-related changes in coping activity confirmed an increase in stress levels in diabetics, while cardiac patients tended to experience the situation as more challenging. While the expectation referring to the differential role of temperament under different levels of stress intensity was not confirmed, the connections of temperament with coping activity were found to decrease under long-term stress.

The Associations Among Callous-Unemotional Traits, Worry, and Aggression in Justice-Involved Adolescent Boys

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 671-684 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily L. Robertson ◽  
Paul J. Frick ◽  
James V. Ray ◽  
Laura C. Thornton ◽  
Tina D. Wall Myers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Juvenile Offenders ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Additive Effects ◽  
Cu Traits ◽  
Callous Unemotional ◽  
Callous Unemotional Traits ◽  
Violence Severity ◽  
Violent Offenses ◽  
First Time ◽  
Official Records

Previous research has reported that elevations on both callous-unemotional (CU) traits and anxiety (measured as trait worry) among adolescents are associated with a particularly severe pattern of aggressive behavior. In the current study, we tested whether elevated trait worry would add only to the prediction of less severe and reactive aggression assessed by self-report but not to more severe violence, proactive aggression, and official records of violent arrests. First-time male juvenile offenders ( N = 1,216) were assessed at 6-month intervals for 30 months. Contrary to predictions, our analyses found both CU traits and worry independently predicted self-reported violent offenses (regardless of violence severity) and aggression (both proactive and reactive) across 30 months after their first arrest. However, when using arrest records, only CU traits were associated with violent offenses. This suggests that the additive effects of anxiety and worry in predicting risk for later violence may be limited to self-report.

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