BACKGROUND: Antisocial behaviour may partly develop as a consequence of psychopathic personality. However, neither the direction of effects nor the aetiology of the association has previously been clarified. The aim in this study was to investigate the direction of effects between psychopathic personality and antisocial behaviour, and to investigate the genetic and environmental contribution to this association. METHOD: Twins (n = 2,255) in the Swedish Twin Study of Child and Adolescent Development were prospectively followed from adolescence to adulthood. We used a longitudinal cross-lagged twin model to study the associations between psychopathic personality and antisocial behaviour. RESULTS: Psychopathic personality in mid-adolescence predicted antisocial behaviour in adulthood (p < .001), but not the other way around. However, bidirectional effects were found when a measure of persistent antisocial behaviour (from age 8-9 to age 16-17) was used. Psychopathic personality predicted both rule-breaking behaviour (p < .001) and aggressive behaviour (p < .01). Genetic factors were of importance in mediating the longitudinal associations between psychopathic personality and antisocial behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that genetically influenced psychopathic personality is a robust predictor of adult antisocial behaviour, but also that persistent antisocial behaviour has an impact on adult psychopathic personality via genetic effects.
BACKGROUND: Antisocial behaviour may partly develop as a consequence of psychopathic personality. However, neither the direction of effects nor the aetiology of the association has previously been clarified. The aim in this study was to investigate the direction of effects between psychopathic personality and antisocial behaviour, and to investigate the genetic and environmental contribution to this association. METHOD: Twins (n = 2,255) in the Swedish Twin Study of Child and Adolescent Development were prospectively followed from adolescence to adulthood. We used a longitudinal cross-lagged twin model to study the associations between psychopathic personality and antisocial behaviour. RESULTS:Psychopathic personality in mid-adolescence predicted antisocial behaviour in adulthood (p < .001), but not the other way around. However, bidirectional effects were found when a measure of persistent antisocial behaviour (from age 8-9 to age 16-17) was used. Psychopathic personality predicted both rule-breaking behaviour (p < .001) and aggressive behaviour (p < .01). Genetic factors were of importance in mediating the longitudinal associations between psychopathic personality and antisocial behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that genetically influenced psychopathic personality is a robust predictor of adult antisocial behaviour, but also that persistent antisocial behaviour has an impact on adult psychopathic personality via genetic effects.
Authors: Mieke Decuyper; Olivier F Colins; Barbara De Clercq; Robert Vermeiren; Eric Broekaert; Patricia Bijttebier; Annelore Roose; Filip De Fruyt Journal: Child Psychiatry Hum Dev Date: 2013-04
Authors: Dennis E Reidy; Megan C Kearns; Sarah DeGue; Scott O Lilienfeld; Greta Massetti; Kent A Kiehl Journal: Aggress Violent Behav Date: 2015 Sep-Oct
Authors: Justin M Luningham; Daniel B McArtor; Meike Bartels; Dorret I Boomsma; Gitta H Lubke Journal: Behav Genet Date: 2017-08-05 Impact factor: 2.805
Authors: Masha Y Ivanova; Thomas M Achenbach; Leslie A Rescorla; Lori V Tumer; Adelina Ahmeti-Pronaj; Alma Au; Carmen Avila Maese; Monica Bellina; J Carlos Caldas; Yi-Chuen Chen; Ladislav Csemy; Marina M da Rocha; Jeroen Decoster; Anca Dobrean; Lourdes Ezpeleta; Johnny R J Fontaine; Yasuko Funabiki; Halldór S Guðmundsson; Valerie S Harder; Marie Leiner de la Cabada; Patrick Leung; Jianghong Liu; Safia Mahr; Sergey Malykh; Jelena Srdanovic Maras; Jasminka Markovic; David M Ndetei; Kyung Ja Oh; Jean-Michel Petot; Geylan Riad; Direnc Sakarya; Virginia C Samaniego; Sandra Sebre; Mimoza Shahini; Edwiges Silvares; Roma Simulioniene; Elvisa Sokoli; Joel B Talcott; Natalia Vazquez; Ewa Zasepa Journal: J Psychopathol Behav Assess Date: 2014-08-08